What are the steps in the divorce process?

In Massachusetts, the divorce process starts with one spouse (the “plaintiff”) filing a Complaint for Divorce with the court. The plaintiff must then serve the Complaint on the defendant (the other spouse). The defendant must then file a Response to the Complaint within twenty days. In the next step, the spouses must try to reach agreements on issues such as child custody and support, alimony, and division of assets. This can be done through mediation, negotiation, or other means of dispute resolution. If the spouses are unable to reach agreements, these issues will be decided at trial. Next, the spouses must complete a financial statement and finalize any agreements that have been reached. After that, both spouses must submit affidavits and various other documents to the court. The plaintiff also needs to file the Certificate of Corroborating Witness, which states that the plaintiff has provided financial information to the defendant and that the defendant has not disputed the information. Finally, once all of the necessary documents have been filed, the court will hold a hearing to finalize the divorce. At the hearing, a judge will review all of the evidence and make a final ruling on any disputed issues, such as child custody or division of assets. After the ruling is made, the divorce is considered final.

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