Divorce in Wyoming

The decision to get a divorce is usually not an easy choice to make. You have probably already gone through a great deal of stress and frustration to reach this point. Now that you have made your decision, you want to move forward as quickly and cheaply as you can. Fortunately, the state of Wyoming makes getting a divorce straightforward, particularly if you are seeking an uncontested divorce – one where you and your spouse agree on important issues like property division and child custody (if you have children).  You may even qualify to complete you divorce in Wyoming without a lawyer. If this is the case, you simply need to fill out the appropriate divorce papers for Wyoming and submit them to your county clerk.

Getting your Wyoming divorce papers from CompleteCase.com can make the process even simpler, giving you exactly the forms you need for your situation and helping you ensure that they are filled out correctly.

If you and your spouse are having difficulty reaching agreement on the terms of the divorce, you may benefit from divorce mediation. Mediation in Wyoming allows you to meet with a professional divorce mediator, someone trained to help divorcing couples make difficult decisions.

Wyoming Divorce Facts

Data reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), places the divorce rate in Wyoming from 2011 at 4.8 for every 1,000 residents. The divorce rate in the state has been steadily declining, from a high of 6.6 in 1990 and is lower than some states in the U.S.

Wyoming only allows divorce on two grounds – irreconcilable differences and incurable insanity. Irreconcilable differences is similar to other no-fault state requirements. You only need to indicate that the marriage is broken and that it will not get better. To use the insanity grounds your spouse must be in a mental hospital for a period of two years before you file.

You need to be a resident of the state for 60 days before you can file for divorce. There is an exception to this requirement, however. If you were married in Wyoming and you have lived there since you got married, you are also allowed to file.

Wyoming Divorce Papers and Forms

The specific divorce papers for Wyoming that you fill out may vary depending on your circumstances – like if you have minor children with your spouse or not – and sometimes the county where you are filing. It is always advisable to contact the county court where you will file and verify that you are completing all the correct documents. Some of the divorce forms common to all marriages in the state are the “Complaint” and the “Summons”. You and your spouse will also need to complete a “Confidential Financial Affidavit” before you are granted a divorce. The financial affidavit is where you will list all of your financial information so the court can determine if the terms of the divorce are fair. Your spouse will need to complete the same form.

The Wyoming Judicial Branch has a section of its website dedicated to family law forms for people that are filing for divorce without an attorney. You should take some time and review the information provided by the state court on divorce and look over the various forms available to you. The more you understand the divorce process, the better you will be able to look after your interests as you move forward.

If you find the wide variety of forms and legal terms confusing, you are not alone. Without a legal background it is sometimes difficult to know what the forms are asking of you and which forms you should file. For many people in Wyoming, it is easier to get their divorce papers online from CompleteCase.com. By using CompleteCase.com, you’ll can get the help you need to identify the right forms for your situation and assistance to complete them accurately. With our service, you can move forward confidently, knowing that you will not experience any unnecessary delays due to incorrect forms.

How to File Divorce Papers in Wyoming

When you have completed all the divorce papers online or otherwise, you will need to print up three sets – one to file with the court, one to keep for your records and one to serve to your spouse. Avoid signing any of your documents until you are in front of a notary public. The court may provide a notary service, but you should verify before you attempt to file. Calling ahead before you go to file will allow you to ask about the form of payment accepted by the court for your state filing fee as well. You may be able to have the filing fee waive. You need to complete some forms requesting a waiver and the court will have to approve your request before the fees will be waived.

When you have submitted your documents to the clerk and the filing fee is considered paid, the clerk will stamp them and submit them to the court.

How to Serve Divorce Papers in Wyoming

“Serving” the divorce papers just means delivering copies of the divorce paperwork to your spouse. If your spouse has a lawyer, then you will need to serve the papers to the lawyer instead of the spouse.

Wyoming allows you to serve the papers by sheriff or in person. If you and your spouse are on good terms you can deliver the papers to him or her and get a signed “Acknowledgment and Acceptance of Service”, a form that you will file with the court. If you do not want to serve your spouse personally, you can hire a sheriff's deputy for a fee. The sheriff’s deputy will give you evidence of the service after it is complete, which you will file with the court. If you are unable to locate your spouse, you should let the court know of the situation. You may be able to publish a notice in the newspaper of the divorce to complete the service requirement.

If you and your spouse are able to agree on everything about the divorce, you can expect the process to be completed relatively fast. However, if you need to argue issues in front of the court, you should prepare for the divorce to take some time. How long will depend on how quickly the issues can be resolved.