1. Make sure you meet the residency requirements:
In order to file for divorce in Alabama, you must have lived in the state for at least six months.
2. Gather your documents:
You will need to gather a number of documents in order to file for divorce, including your marriage certificate, your driver's license, and your Social Security card.
3. Complete the divorce complaint:
The divorce complaint is the document that initiates the divorce process. It must be filed with the court in order to begin proceedings.
4. Serve your spouse with the divorce papers:
Once you have filed the divorce complaint, you must serve your spouse with a copy of the papers. This can be done by hiring a process server or by having a friend or family member hand them over.
5. Wait for your spouse to respond:
Your spouse has 30 days to respond to the divorce complaint once they have been served. If they do not respond, the court may rule in favor of granting the divorce by default.
6. Negotiate an agreement with your spouse:
If your spouse does respond, the two of you will need to negotiate an agreement regarding the terms of the divorce. This can be done without having to go to court.
7. Finalize the divorce agreement:
Once you have reached an agreement, you will need to finalize it by drafting a separation agreement and filing it with the court.
8. File the divorce agreement with the court:
Once you have filed the separation agreement with the court, it will become part of your divorce case file.
9. Wait for the court to issue a final divorce decree:
The court will not issue a final decree until all required paperwork has been filed and all required fees have been paid. This process can take several months.
10. Serve your spouse with the final decree:
After receiving a final decree from the court, you must serve it on your spouse in order to make it official.
11. File the final decree with the court:
Once you have served your spouse with the final decree, you must file it with the court so that it becomes part of your permanent record.