Your options for serving divorce papers

If a divorce is what you seek, making it happen requires following a specific legal process. It starts with filling out forms, such as a Civil Domestic Case Information Report.

Once the documentation is complete, the person you are divorcing must receive word of your intent. Courts need confirmation of communication before they recognize the end of any marriage. Several methods for serving divorce papers exist.

Employing a county sheriff

One option is hiring a local law official. This choice minimizes the risk of a soon-to-be-ex creating a scene. Note that you will have to pay a fee. Since divorce has many hidden costs, this extra charge could be unwelcome. Enlisting a private citizen that does not have a stake in the marriage may be easier on the wallet.

Hiring a private process server

Another choice is assigning a professional process server to handle the job. Such individuals have expertise with these sorts of tricky assignments. Also, you may assume this person will make more than a solitary attempt to complete their mission. A sheriff will not.

Mailing the paperwork

Another path to completion is using the United States postal service. Proof of delivery is a must, so send everything by certified mail. In states such as Maryland, someone other than the plaintiff must be the mailing party.

After you receive confirmation that the recipient has notification, you must let the court know. With that finished, it should take one to three months for the divorce to become final.

Notifying your spouse that you want a divorce remains mandatory. The optimal delivery method lowers the odds of your former partner denying knowledge.