Serving divorce papers in Nevada

How papers are served in Nevada

• After you file, you must make sure your spouse is served with the summons and complaint; the court does not do it for you.
• If you don't know where your spouse is, the self-help center explains how to ask for another way of service.
• A joint petition needs no service.

Law: Nevada Self-Help Center, Filing for Divorce on Your Own and Responding to a Divorce; Nev. R. Civ. P. 12

Deadline to respond and default

21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree

Serving your spouse in Nevada, step by step

1. File your papers first

   File with the District Court (Family Division in Clark and Washoe counties). Service comes after filing.

2. Serve the papers

   After you file, you must make sure your spouse is served with the summons and complaint; the court does not do it for you.

3. Or have your spouse sign

   A joint petition needs no service.

4. File proof of service

   File the proof of service with the court.

5. Watch the deadline

   21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree.

6. If there is no response

   21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree

Questions about serving divorce papers in Nevada

More about divorce in Nevada

• All Nevada divorce laws
• Uncontested divorce in Nevada
• Nevada divorce forms and filing fees
• Alimony in Nevada
• Child custody and support in Nevada
• Divorce timeline estimator for Nevada
• Divorce checklist for Nevada
• Served with divorce papers: what to do
• Timeline estimator

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