How to Get a Wife to Sign Final Divorce Papers

During a contested divorce, it is not uncommon for one spouse to refuse to sign the divorce papers, particularly when property, monetary exchanges and child custody are at stake. If your wife is unwilling to agree to the terms of your final divorce papers, consider working with a legal professional who can help you come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Instructions

1. Be flexible. Even though divorces are stressful, take your wife's suggestions into consideration when deciding what to put in the final divorce papers. Unless most the terms of your divorce are mutually agreeable, there is a chance that your wife will not sign the final divorce papers. Try to see things from her perspective.

2. Sit before a mediator. If you and your wife are having difficulty reaching an agreement as to what should be in the final divorce papers, consider going to mediation. A court-certified mediator can help you reach an agreement that will benefit you both.

3. Serve your wife with the final divorce papers only after you have reached an agreement. You may give them to her yourself, have a process server or sheriff delivers them to her, send them to her via certified mail, or deliver them to her through her attorney.

4. Ask your attorney to talk to her lawyer. If you and your wife are represented by counsel, it is best for the attorneys to take care of the negotiations. Provided that your requests in the final divorce papers are reasonable, her lawyer will probably encourage her to sign them.