Once an action is served, what happens next?
If you are served with an Action for Divorce, Order to Show Cause or, heaven forbid, any Family Court papers, contact our office immediately. Do not pass go. Do not think about it, hire a lawyer immediately. If we have started this lawsuit on your behalf, your spouse must hire a lawyer. If the spouse does not want to hire a lawyer, the process will actually be more difficult for us. We will spend most of our time explaining to your spouse the right to hire a lawyer and explaining the remedies and rights available, as we represent you and will be enforcing your rights to the fullest, without any regard for your spouse. There are exceptions to this rule. One is mediation, and the other is non-spouses. It is not necessary to serve a spouse in Family Court, and service can be made on a co-parent or another individual. Additionally, there are issues that can be mediated.
