Legal Question in Family Law in California

Re: divorce

Once you receive your papers, you generally have 30 days to file a response to the matter in the same court. You must pay a filing fee and file a document entitled "RESPONSE - MARRIAGE (FAMILY LAW)".

If you fail to file a response, your spouse can "DEFAULT" you, which means that they may proceed with the court matter without you being involved or even notified when the court issues orders.

Hope this helps.