Divorce is one of the most challenging experiences a person may undergo in their lifetime. If your spouse recently filed for divorce, you may be desperate to find a way to make your marriage work, and you may wonder if there is a way to stop the divorce from happening. You cannot force your spouse to divorce you, but if your spouse wants a divorce, you eventually have to accept it and let it happen. However, as a divorce lawyer from a firm like the Winfrey Law Firm can explain, there may be ways for you to save your marriage and stop divorce before it becomes finalized.
Consider Marriage Counseling
If you think your marriage can be saved, try to attend counseling with your spouse. When a marriage deteriorates, it is typically for several different reasons. In marriage counseling, the two of you can dissect the problems in your marriage to determine whether you can make appropriate changes to make the marriage work.
If your spouse is open to marriage counseling, keep in mind that there may be many changes that both of you have to make. Keep an open mind about his or her frustrations with the marriage and what he or she hopes to have in a relationship. Both of you need to have your voices heard to come up with solutions to your problem.
Stop the Divorce Process
If you go through counseling and decide to make the marriage work, you can start the process to stop the divorce. If the divorce is still in its early stages, it may be easy to stop. For example, if you have not been served with divorce papers or if your spouse recently filed the petition, the only thing he or she has to do is not follow up on the procedure. If you have been served, the two of you can refuse to move forward and the court will dismiss the case.
However, if your divorce process is further along, your spouse needs to obtain the proper forms to request to withdraw the case. If your spouse dismisses the divorce, he or she must serve you with the paperwork.
If you are worried about a divorce, you may want to speak to a divorce lawyer as soon as possible. He or she may have advice on how to handle the divorce and whether you should attempt to make the marriage work. If you cannot work it out, the lawyer will help you through the divorce proceedings. Consult with a divorce lawyer as soon as possible if you are facing divorce.