Uncontested Divorce Iowa

How to Get an Uncontested Divorce Iowa

Uncontested means not fought over or disputed, but of course that is a misnomer. Any divorce has been fought over for years, with both parties trying desperately to salvage the relationship before deciding fatefully that it is an irredeemable state of disrepair. An uncontested divorce Iowa means that, after these months or years of arguments, an agreement has been reached, not only that a divorce is in the best interest of both parties involved, but there is agreement over the terms of the settlement. Any disagreement and it is no longer an uncontested divorce Iowa. Yet this is not to say that this is a simple matter to get an uncontested divorce Iowa. Rather it is a complicated procedure that you should research heavily in order to familiarize yourself with it.

Qualifying for an Uncontested Divorce Iowa

If you want to file for an uncontested divorce Iowa, you need to meet certain important qualifications. As said above, you need to come to an agreement on all the terms of the divorce agreement, such as the division of property. If children are involved, this can be very difficult since it means agreeing on child custody, child visitation rights, and child support. You must also meet the requirements for filing for divorce. You must have been a resident of Iowa for at least one year. You must also file for uncontested divorce Iowa in a county where either (it doesn’t matter which) of the parties resides. Iowa is a no-fault divorce state, so the only reason that needs be sighted is that there is no reasonable likelihood of the marriage’s survival.

Filing for Uncontested Divorce Iowa

One spouse must elect to be the “Petitioner” and officially file for uncontested divorce Iowa. In doing so, they need to complete the following forms:

• A Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with No Minor Children, Form FL-101

• A Coversheet for Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with No Minor Children, Form FL-102

• A Confidential Information Form, FL-103 which includes Social Security numbers and other confidential information and must be filled on individually be each spouse

• Original Notice of Personal Service, Form FL-104, which will be given to the non-Petitioner (the Respondent)

• An Acceptance of Service of Original Notice, Form FL-105, given in by the Respondent to answer Form FL-104

• Directions for Service of Original Notice, Form FL-106

Notice that the above forms are only for an uncontested divorce Iowa in which no minor children have resulted or will result. Different versions of the same forms are needed if minor children are involved.

After the Respondent receives the Original Notice of Personal Service, Form FL-104, both parties will need to do some intermediate filing. These include the following forms:

• A Motion, Form FL-122, asking the court to set a hearing date for the Divorce Decree

• A Financial Affidavit, Form FL-124, in which both parties must record their financial information for settlement purposes

• Request for Relief (Final Decree) in Dissolution of Marriage with No Children, Form FL-127, which will give you a default divorce at a hearing without a trial

• Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with No Children, Form FL-128, which lays out the agreed upon divorce terms and which the Judge will sign into law.