Divorce online?

[leighi123]

Is there a way to just go to some website online, fill out a form and that = a divorce?

I havent seen Levi's daddy sence october, havent heard from him, dont know where he lives/works or even what state he is in. We left because I found out he was using drugs again (he had been when I was pregnant, and went to rehab, got sorted out for a long time, but then slipped and went nuts so blew his second chance!)

He doesnt want to see me or ds ever again, doesnt want visitation or any rights to ds. Im not asking for child support or anything (he doesnt have any money as far as I know anyway), and we have no material 'stuff' between us.

I just want to get it over with so I can change my name back, and change ds's name, and so I can fix my credit which he wrecked. I dont want to have to hunt him down and try to get him to go to court or whatever, because its not going to happen.

I've done some reasearch, but I cant tell which sites are good - some seem sort of 'scam' like. Plus I dont know his ss# - is there a way to find that out?

Any help would be great!

[RollerCoasterMama]

You need a lawyer for sure. There are simple divorces, but lots of counties have a mandetory hearing if there are kids involved and only one lawyer. Try legal aid in your area, or see if you qualify for some kind of group legal through work.

(It's like insurance for lawyers...I usually turn it down, but I'm signing up for it this fall so next year we can get divorced...WAY cheaper than lawyers and we don't qualify for legal aid.)

[Sagesgirl]

You have to go down to the courthouse to file for divorce in most places I know of. Your best bet is to call your county courthouse (and you're fine with filing there if you've lived in FL at least 6 months, I think, it doesn't have to be filed where he lived) and see exactly what you need. I was able to get forms printed out for me from the courthouse's law library for a very nominal fee; I also got an affidavit of inability to pay that allowed me to file without paying (I actually filed for custody, not divorce, but XH got his divorce petition the same way I got my custody petition). You will need to serve him by publication. You may have to appear before a judge to justify this; it's supposed to be a last resort for a person who cannot be found any other way. As far as his SSN goes, check your marriage license; it may well be there.

DO NOT give money to anything online. Go down to the courthouse and talk to them first.

[leighi123]

How can I serve him if I have no clue where he is?

[leighi123]

oh and i dont have ANY paperwork - he destroyed and or lost a lot of my stuff, including all of ds's baby book stuff, his birth certificate (jsut got a new one in the mail after 6 months!) and our marrage licence and all that.

I've been in florida sence January, we visited in November though and are living with my parents.

[RollerCoasterMama]

Originally Posted by leighi123

How can I serve him if I have no clue where he is?

Every state has a way to serve someone you can't find. Usually they send stuff to the last known address so many times, and then publish it in a local paper to that last known address. Every state has a slightly different version of that. Really...find a legal aid and they'll help you.

Your marriage license is on record in the county you got married in. You can get a new one the same way you got a replacement birth certificate.

[Sagesgirl]

Originally Posted by leighi123

How can I serve him if I have no clue where he is?

What RollerCoasterMama said. Sorry, I should have explained "serve by publication." Do not let anyone tell you that you can't get a divorce without handing him the papers directly. You will have to make a good-faith effort to find him, but you aren't going to be stuck if you can't.

[leighi123]

Originally Posted by RollerCoasterMama

Every state has a way to serve someone you can't find. Usually they send stuff to the last known address so many times, and then publish it in a local paper to that last known address. Every state has a slightly different version of that. Really...find a legal aid and they'll help you.

Your marriage license is on record in the county you got married in. You can get a new one the same way you got a replacement birth certificate.

Even if he has moved out of that state? I know for sure he isnt living in the house we were in (we were renting from my dad's friend), and last I heard he was 'going to go work in a mine' - no clue where that would be!

My sister's boyfriend's dad, who is a friend of my dad, is a well known lawyer here, so he is willing to help and everything, I was just trying to figure out the easiest (and fastest) way to do all this - I just dont even want to deal with it/think about it - I know I have to which sucks. I have him out of my life, now I just need him off my paperwork as well and we will be good!

[RollerCoasterMama]

Originally Posted by leighi123

Even if he has moved out of that state? I know for sure he isnt living in the house we were in (we were renting from my dad's friend), and last I heard he was 'going to go work in a mine' - no clue where that would be!

My sister's boyfriend's dad, who is a friend of my dad, is a well known lawyer here, so he is willing to help and everything, I was just trying to figure out the easiest (and fastest) way to do all this - I just dont even want to deal with it/think about it - I know I have to which sucks. I have him out of my life, now I just need him off my paperwork as well and we will be good!

Yes...even if he's completely gone. Your lawyer will know the process. It takes a little bit longer, but it works.

If he's the father of your kid(s) (I don't know your whole story), then they'll set up a child support order at the same time. And when the state can find him, they'll collect it, but it's effective from the beginning.

It's not going to be hard if he's not around, but it won't be super quick because there's some waiting time when you're divorcing a person you can't find. Not YEARS or anything...just a few months.

If you know where his parents live, you may be able to serve him there...maybe...depends on the law in your state. Your lawyer will be able to take care of all of that. You shouldn't really need to do anything after the initial paperwork until it's time to have a hearing with a judge to finalize it all. (If you don't have any kids with him, you might not have to have an in person hearing. Just depends.)

Good luck!!

[layne]

Originally Posted by RollerCoasterMama

Yes...even if he's completely gone. Your lawyer will know the process. It takes a little bit longer, but it works.

]

If you know where his parents live, you may be able to serve him there...maybe...depends on the law in your state. Your lawyer will be able to take care of all of that. You shouldn't really need to do anything after the initial paperwork until it's time to have a hearing with a judge to finalize it all. (If you don't have any kids with him, you might not have to have an in person hearing. Just depends.)

Good luck!!

In my state they can serve any teenager or adult who answers the door in a place he is likely to frequent, so here, they definitely could serve his parents, coworkers, or even anyone hanging out at a bar he is known to frequent. They can get him somehow. I am sure your state has some provision for this and a lawyer will be able to figure it out for you.

[subtlycrunchy]

You're getting lots of good advice!