What Happens if Your Spouse Doesn’t Respond to Divorce Papers in Contra Costa?
Hi, I’m Tim Blankenship from Divorce661. If you filed for divorce in Contra Costa County and your spouse hasn’t responded, you might be wondering what happens next. The good news: you can still move forward. California law allows you to proceed with a default divorce when the other party fails to participate.
Quick overview: the key steps and timeline
- After your spouse is properly served with divorce papers, they have 30 days to file a response with the court.
- If the 30-day deadline passes with no response, you can request that the court enter a default.
- Once default is entered, you prepare and file a default judgment package so the court can finalize the divorce.
What a default divorce means
A default divorce means the court recognizes your spouse didn’t participate. They’ve effectively given up the right to contest the terms you propose. That said, default is not an automatic approval of everything you want—
the court will still review your paperwork to make sure your requests for property division, support, custody (if applicable), and other orders are reasonable and complete.
What you must file in a default case
Even when the other spouse doesn’t respond, you still have to follow the same procedural requirements. Missing a step is the most common reason the court rejects default judgment paperwork and delays finalization.
Your default judgment package typically includes:
- Financial disclosures (required under California law)
- A proposed judgment outlining your requests for:
- Property division
- Spousal support
- Child custody and visitation (if applicable)
- Child support (if applicable)
- All required court forms completed accurately and filed on time
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the divorce finalizes automatically. The court won’t finalize your divorce unless you request default and file the judgment paperwork.
- Improper service. If service wasn’t done correctly, the 30-day clock may not start and a default request can be denied.
- Skipping financial disclosures. Even without a responding spouse, disclosures are required and the court expects them.
- Filing incomplete or incorrect forms. Small errors can lead to rejection and significant delays.
Real client example (Contra Costa)
We recently helped a client who waited months thinking her divorce would finalize automatically because her spouse never responded. She assumed the court would take care of it after six months. But nothing happened—she never requested default and never filed a judgment.
Once she reached out, we filed the missing documents and finalized her divorce in just a few weeks. This is a good example of how a single missing step can stall your case—and how the right help can move it forward quickly.
How Divorce661 can help
At Divorce661 we handle default cases every day. If your spouse is uncooperative, ignoring paperwork, or dragging their feet, we can help you finalize the divorce without their participation—provided all steps are followed correctly.
We can assist with:
- Confirming proper service of process
- Preparing and filing the default judgment package
- Ensuring financial disclosures and forms are complete
- Avoiding court rejections and delays
Next steps and when to get help
If your spouse hasn’t responded and you’re unsure what to do next:
- Confirm the date of proper service and calculate the 30-day response deadline.
- If the deadline passed, file a Request to Enter Default with the court.
- Assemble and file your default judgment package, including all financial disclosures and proposed orders.
- Consider getting professional help to avoid mistakes that cause delays.
“If your spouse hasn’t responded and you’re not sure what to do next, visit divorce661.com to schedule a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and take care of the paperwork so you can finally move forward with confidence.”
Conclusion
Not hearing from your spouse after filing for divorce in Contra Costa County is frustrating, but it’s not the end of the road. You can proceed with a default divorce—just be sure to follow every procedural step: proper service, timely filings, and complete financial disclosures. Missing any required step can delay or derail the process.
If you want help making sure everything’s done right, schedule a free consultation at Divorce661.com. We’ll review your situation, explain your options for a default divorce in Contra Costa, and help you move forward with confidence.
