Depending on their “party status” in the specific divorce processes, a spouse may be able to halt divorce proceedings. The spouse who filed the divorce petition is referred to as the petitioner in divorce procedures, and the spouse who filed a response is referred to as the respondent.

Being the petitioner in a divorce case has tactical benefits, including the ability to decide when applications are filed with the court and the ability to get a costs order against the respondent that, if granted, would oblige the respondent to pay the divorce expenses. If you are depending on one of the contested facts, like behavior or adultery, the courts frequently grant cost orders. 

Your ability to stop the divorce proceedings if you change your mind for whatever reason may depend on whose party you are in the divorce proceedings. A legislation that eliminates the requirement to allege behavior or adultery will change the divorce process starting in the fall of 2021.

Depending on where the divorce process is at and whether you are the petitioner or respondent, what you must do to halt the divorce depends on your position in the divorce process and can consult with divorce lawyers.

If the lawyer determines that there are grounds for setting aside the divorce decree, they will file a motion with the court on your behalf. The motion will explain the grounds for setting aside the decree, and any evidence to support your case.

The divorce lawyers may then negotiate with your ex-spouse or their lawyer to reach a settlement agreement. If you and your ex-spouse agree to undo the divorce, the lawyer will draft a settlement agreement outlining the terms of your reconciliation.

You must instantly write to the court to confirm your desire to withdraw the divorce petition if you are the petitioner and your divorce petition has been filed but not yet been served on the respondent. So, you must pray that you are in time and that the court will grant your plea to halt the case before notifying the respondent of the divorce petition. 

The divorce petition will not be served on the respondent and no divorce proceedings will be issued if the court grants your request before serving the respondent with the divorce petition.

If the respondent has already been served with the divorce petition and you as the petitioner want to suspend the divorce process, you can either:

• Request the withdrawal of your divorce petition and the termination of the divorce procedures; 
• Be silent (which has its risks).

To determine whether the respondent is in favor of withdrawing the petition and dismissing the case in the first scenario, you must get in touch with them. If they grant your request, you can next file a court application asking for the dismissal of the proceedings with the respondent’s permission.

You would then need to make an application with the court asking that the divorce proceedings be dismissed if the respondent is unwilling to agree to the divorce being dismissed. You would also need to give the respondent a copy of your application because it would be filed on a contested basis. The court will then decide whether to grant your application, and it’s conceivable that they’ll schedule a hearing so that both sides may be heard.

The second choice is to do nothing at all, but if the divorce process is simply left unattended to, it can become more complicated in the future if one spouse wants to file for divorce. It is therefore wise to request that the divorce proceedings be dismissed.

You can also seek to make an application in court seeking to dismiss the divorce procedures as described above if you are the respondent in the proceedings and the petitioner is okay with it.

What Happens if Only One Spouse Desires to Halt the Divorce Proceedings While the Other Continues to Do So?

It is currently permissible for the responder to defend divorce procedures if they are still in the very early stages. As a result, the respondent may try to fight the divorce proceedings if they are not something they want to allow to progress.

Upon returning an acceptance of service to the court, the responder would have to state upfront if they intend to contest the divorce. Upon the court’s issuance of the divorce petition, this document is submitted to the respondent along with it. 

The responder is next obliged to submit an answer to the divorce petition, which serves as their response to the petition. The divorce case is defended once an answer is submitted. Any defended divorce case has certain procedural requirements that must be followed, as well as a stringent timeline that must be followed.

But, if neither spouse is defending the divorce case and they both want to discontinue the proceedings, they will need each other’s approval. The petitioner may ask the court for permission to withdraw the divorce petition as described above if they want to end the divorce procedures without the respondent’s consent.

What Constitutes the “Point Of No Return” in Divorce Proceedings?

Any time during the divorce process, up until the court issues a Decree Absolute, you may submit an application to have the divorce filed dismissed.

The marriage is formally dissolved once the Decree Absolute is issued. Once a Decree Absolute has been issued, it is very difficult to have it reversed.

Can a Divorce that has Been Fully Finalized ever be Overturned by the Court, and if so, under what Conditions?

Once a Decree Absolute has been issued by the court, it should not be reversed unless there has been some procedural or other irregularity (which is also a ground for appealing a court order).

The Decree Absolute may be invalidated if there was a procedural flaw in the way it was obtained, such as a violation of the Family Process Rules or the fact that the courts didn’t have the proper jurisdiction to handle the case.

Final Thought

The divorce procedure can be stopped before it starts if a couple decides they no longer want to divorce and choose to stay married. You should visit the county clerk and request the divorce petition as soon as your divorce documents are filed with the local court. You might be able to retract it if it hasn’t been submitted yet. To find out whether or not extra paperwork needs to be filed, you must first describe the circumstances to the clerk.