My husband never signed the Vermont divorce papers what can I do about this?

A failure to sign divorce papers in Vermont does not necessarily mean that you can not get a divorce. The only thing that not getting the signature means is that the divorce process is going to take more time and will not be as amicable as you might like.

Divorce is a very emotional and expensive process. If the divorce is uncontested, both parties agree with the division of property and there are no children involved, then sorting out the marriage will go more smoothly.

However, Vermont allows a spouse to file for divorce if the other one has committed “willful desertion or when either spouse is gone without contact for 7 years.” Chances are, the spouse who deserted the other one is not going to be reachable and will probably not appear in court to answer the divorce summons, much less sign any paperwork to end the marriage.

Lots of spouses do not want to end their marriage and will contest the divorce every step of the way. Courts are generally prepared for this, which is why the spouse who wants the divorce will be able to move forward with the divorce even if the other spouse will not sign the papers or is generally uncooperative. The spouse who wants the divorce should simply tell the judge what has occurred and the court will take care of things from there.

Furthermore, once the judge has signed the order granting the divorce, the divorce is final.