Can you have a divorce if you didn’t get served
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Can you have a divorce if you didn’t get served
I do not know if my wife filed for divorce….we have no contact
Asked on July 27, 2016 under Family Law, Hawaii
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
You must be served with the petition for dissolution of marriage in order for the divorce to proceed. The purpose of service of process in that matter is to give notice and provide you with an opportunity to file a response (answer).
If your wife does not know your location, she could serve you by publication which is running a notice in the legal notices section of a newspaper for a period of time which varies from state to state. This is effective service even if you don't see the notice in the newspaper.
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