RESPONSE/ ANSWER
What is a Formal Response/Answer? This is the legal document that you, as the respondent or defendant, must file with the court and serve on your spouse or the plaintiff after you have been served a petition or complaint. If you do not file this Formal Response/Answer, you will be in default, at which time the court may proceed with a default judgment. How long you have to file a response depends on which state you live in, but the time frame should be noted on the original petition.
If you don’t respond to a divorce petition, your spouse may receive a default divorce, and you will have to accept the divorce settlement as outlined in the original petition regarding property division, debt division, retirement funds, child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support (alimony), insurance, and tax issues.
If you do not file your response to a complaint in time, the other party may get a judgment against you. This means that the other party wins the case, and the court will not consider anything you have to say. They can begin enforcing this judgment by garnishing your wages, placing liens on your property, or levying your bank accounts.