Respondent Center

For the Spouse Who Did Not Seek the Divorce

Many family-law resources are written from the perspective of the person seeking a divorce.

The TCMP Respondent Center addresses a different question:

"What should a spouse and parent understand when he or she does not want the marriage dissolved?"

A respondent may face difficult questions concerning:

legal rights;
deadlines;
pleadings;
evidence;
preservation of objections;
parental rights;
religious obligations;
child-related proceedings;
Financial consequences;
mediation;
trial;
appellate rights; and
obtaining competent legal representation

The Respondent Center is intended to provide education and orientation—not individualized legal advice.

Protect the Record. Protect the Children. Understand the Law.

A respondent who disagrees with dissolution should understand that moral objection alone and legal objection are not necessarily the same thing.

Effective legal participation requires knowledge of the governing statute, applicable procedure, evidentiary requirements, available objections, and the consequences of agreements or waivers.

TCMP encourages respondents to obtain qualified legal counsel whenever possible and to make important decisions based upon competent advice rather than assumption.