Response Dissolution

---
name: response-dissolution
description: Drafts a Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage addressing each allegation with admit/deny/lack-of-information responses and stating positions on custody, support, property, and fees. Triggers when user needs to respond to a divorce petition, file an answer to dissolution, or avoid default judgment in family law proceedings.
tags:
  - drafting
  - litigation
  - pleading
---

# Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage

Drafts the respondent's formal answer to a divorce petition, addressing every allegation and establishing positions on all contested issues to prevent default.

## Prerequisites

- **Filed petition** — case number, court, all allegations
- **Client instructions** — positions on custody, support, property; factual disputes (especially separation date)
- **Financial records** — income, assets, debts, retirement, business interests
- **Children's information** — names, DOBs, living/school arrangements, parenting history
- **Service date** — confirms response deadline (typically 30 days)

## Quick Start

1. Gather the petition and client instructions
2. Mirror the petition's caption exactly (court, case number, party names)
3. Respond to every allegation paragraph-by-paragraph using the response framework
4. State positions on each contested issue in order
5. Include verification and signature block
6. Confirm filing deadline from service date

## Response Framework

Every petition allegation must receive one response — an unaddressed allegation may be deemed admitted.

| Response | Use When |
|---|---|
| **Admit** | Allegation is true |
| **Deny** | Allegation is false — state correct fact |
| **Admit in part, deny in part** | Partially true — specify each portion |
| **Lack of information** | Respondent genuinely cannot confirm or deny |

## Required Sections (in order)

1. **Jurisdiction & Residency** — Admit or correct residency/domicile allegations
2. **Statistical Facts** — Marriage date, separation date, marriage length, minor children. Flag any disputed separation date with respondent's asserted date and basis.
3. **Child Custody & Visitation** — Legal custody (sole/joint), physical custody (sole/joint/primary-to-respondent), proposed visitation if not seeking primary, factual basis (parenting history, routines, involvement)
4. **Child Support** — Agrees to pay / seeks from petitioner / requests guideline deviation with justification
5. **Spousal Support** — Seeks / opposes / agrees to pay; cite income disparity, earning capacity, marital standard of living, marriage length
6. **Property Division** — Characterize community vs. separate property for: residence, other real property, retirement/pension, accounts, vehicles, business interests. Include separate property tracing and debt allocation.
7. **Attorney Fees & Costs** — Request contribution based on income/access disparity, or state no request
8. **Affirmative Requests for Relief** — Any additional relief respondent seeks

## Verification Block

Include declaration under penalty of perjury with respondent name, state, date, and signature line. If represented, add attorney name, bar number, firm, address, and contact.

## Formatting

- Numbered paragraphs matching petition structure
- Document title + page number in footer
- Court-compliant margins, spacing, pagination

## Pitfalls

- **Deadline-critical** — File within 30 days of service; verify local rule for exact deadline
- **No concession by omission** — every allegation must receive a response
- **No legal argument** — stick to factual admissions/denials and requests for relief; save advocacy for declarations and briefs
- **Separation date disputes** — state respondent's date clearly; affects community property cutoff and support duration
- **Jurisdiction-specific forms** — some states (e.g., California FL-120) require mandatory court forms; flag and adapt content to form fields
- **Tone** — formal, non-inflammatory; deny inaccuracies without argument