After receiving a divorce petition, the first thing you should do is read through it thoroughly to make sure that details like names, dates of birth and addresses are all correct.
Most importantly, you should look at Parts 5 and 6 of the divorce petition form, this is where 'The Facts' and the 'Statements of Case' are noted. Parts 5 and 6 are extremely important as they will specify why your spouse wants a divorce and what allegations, if any, he or she is bringing against you.
If you don't agree with what's contained in this part of the divorce petition and you want to contest it, you can defend the petition. This would in the first instance involve stating that you plan to defend the petition on the Acknowledgment of Service document, which asks you to confirm the particulars of the divorce petition and return it to the Court.
Challenging or defending any divorce in England and Wales can be very expensive, so it’s best to speak with a Divorce Solicitor to advise you on how much it will cost to defend your divorce, and get legal advice on whether or not defending your divorce is likely to be successful.
For initial legal advice get in touch with our Divorce Solicitors.