1. Determine Residency Requirements
You must meet residency requirements to be able to file for divorce in Iowa. This means you must have lived in the state for at least one year before filing.
2. File Petition
The first step is to file a petition with the court, which includes information such as the grounds for the divorce and any requests you may have regarding child custody or support payments.
3. Serve Spouse with Divorce Papers
Once you have filed your petition, it needs to be served on your spouse so they are aware of the proceedings.
4. Attend Mandatory Parenting Class
If there are children involved in the divorce case, both parties need to attend a mandatory parenting class.
5. Gather Financial Documents
You and your spouse need to provide the court with all relevant financial documents, such as bank statements and tax returns.
6. Attend Mediation Sessions
It’s very common for a judge to order both parties to attend one or more mediation sessions in an attempt to settle any issues out of court.
7. Prepare Final Decree
Once you have reached an agreement with your ex-spouse, it needs to be drafted into a final decree which is then presented to the court for approval.
8. File Motion To Modify The Decree
If either party disagrees with the terms of the final decree, they can file a motion to modify it.