A lawsuit carries serious consequences when the judge makes a ruling and renders judgment. This may surprise some people, but a divorce is also a lawsuit that is going to determine your rights to property and your children. If you do not follow the required procedures to protect your rights then you risk the judge not even considering your side of the story before he or she makes their final divorce judgment.

If your spouse had you formally served with the divorce petition, you absolutely must file an Answer if you want to protect your rights. If you do not, it is very likely the judge will enter a default judgment against you. This happened in a recent Appeals Court case where a husband failed to file his Answer within the required court deadline and was then the victim of a default judgment. He was hoping for reconciliation and did not respect the seriousness of the divorce lawsuit. After the divorce court entered the default judgment he decided to take things seriously and requested a new trial. The result – request denied and the default judgment stands.

Let this be a lesson for everyone out there. Divorce is confusing, difficult, and overwhelming. It is also a lawsuit in which you must act to protect yourself or you risk losing a lot. Contact a Woodlands Divorce Lawyer today at (832) 592-7913 if you have been served with a divorce petition and need to protect your rights. Hope is not a strategy.

Sometimes both spouses agree to a divorce. Other times one spouse decides to move forward with the divorce on their own. When this happens, the spouse that did not file the petition for divorce is served with a divorce citation. Once you have been served with a divorce citation you have been informed of the divorce lawsuit and the clock starts to run. You must file an Answer with the Montgomery County Divorce Court or the Houston Divorce Court before the Monday following twenty days after you were served or you can be on the wrong end of a default judgment.

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