What does it mean to obtain a default divorce?
A spouse against whom a divorce has been filed has either twenty (20) or thirty (30) days after being served with those documents to file a written response to the divorce petition—depending on whether he or she lives in Arizona. That response must be filed with the clerk of the court. If the other spouse does not file a response within the time permitted by the rules, the spouse who filed the petition for divorce may file paperwork to proceed with the process of obtaining a divorce without the participation of the other spouse. This process is referred to as a default divorce. A default divorce typically occurs much more quickly than a regular divorce but poses significant risks to the defaulted party as the court may enter any orders the other party requests.
