To end your marriage, you must file a Petition for Divorce or Dissolution of Marriage in the county in which either you or your spouse reside. (In some states, the Petition is referred to as a Complaint.) Additional supporting documentation must ordinarily accompany your filing. Select your state below to preview a sample verified petition (complaint), which is intended to provide you with an idea as to the kind of information needed when preparing a legal divorce filing. Purchase the document set to receive the complete and official petition for divorce package. These documents are no-fault divorce forms -- intended for use only by couples who agree on all terms of the divorce.


Do I need to hire a lawyer when filing for divorce? In the United States, you are not required to hire an attorney to file for divorce (dissolution). You have the right to represent yourself pro se, meaning you have the right to represent yourself in court without a lawyer. Although you have this right, the courts will hold you to the same high standard to which they hold skilled attorneys. To that extent, one must take great care to ensure your divorce papers are in excellent order, or else the court may dismiss your case or reject it without refunding the filing fee. The court staff will not provide advice or inform you how to fill out the divorce papers correctly. Purchasers of our legal forms receive full support in the event you have questions or require assistance.