Q: If I am served papers, do I need to sign them right away? Or can I take them with me, review them, & sign when ready
My wife filed a petition for divorce. I’m being served papers tomorrow. My spouse’s father is telling me to meet him tomorrow morning with a notary to sign the papers. Do I need to sign them then or can I take them, read over them, and sign and get them notarized when I’m ready?
Issue is, I don’t have money for an attorney. I’m only 22 and and she’s filing on the grounds of incompatibility.
A: A notary is not needed to be served papers. You should NOT sign anything when being served. You should receive a copy of the summons as well as the petition. Then you have a little over two weeks to file your answer/response with the court. If you have any other questions then reach out to a family lawyer as soon as you can.
Pete David Louden agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
A:
You do not have to sign anything to be served.
NEVER sign any legal document without first having your own attorney review and explain your options. An answer to the petition will need to be filed but your attorney will take care of that.
Do not attemp to represent yourself, hire an attorney. No matter how many times I say this people try to do it anyway. Sometimes an attorney can fix the damage, sometimes not. Don't be that guy.
Charles Watts agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
