Do I have to be present in the state where a divorce has been filed and I have received paperwork to appear in court?
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Do I have to be present in the state where a divorce has been filed and I have received paperwork to appear in court?
Asked on June 19, 2012 under Family Law, Washington
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
You don't need to be physically present in the state where the divorce is filed. As for the court appearance, you should contact the court clerk and ask if you can make a telephone appearance at the hearing/court proceeding. If you are allowed to appear by telephone, ask the court clerk for the court forms you will need to request a telephone appearance and how far in advance of the hearing you need to file your documents for a request for a telephone appearance. If you don't timely file the documents, your request for a telephone appearance will be denied. If your request for a telephone appearance is denied, you may need to be physically present at the hearing. If your request for a telephone appearance is denied and you are not physically present at the hearing, the judge will probably issue an adverse ruling against you by ruling in favor of your spouse who is present at the hearing.
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