Even in the best situations, divorce gets twisted and complicated. It’s often a long process, one that often drags on and on. When spouses are willing to work together, that streamlines the process and speeds things up.
On the other hand, when they’re not willing to play ball, when they drag their feet at every turn, that’s a different story. If your ex refuses to participate and engage, what can you do?
Rick Jones, our founding partner, regularly appears on the Danny Bonaduce and Sarah Morning Show, where he answers family law questions from listeners. One recent caller finds himself in just this situation. His ex refuses to answer his calls for mediation and he wants to know what options he has.
Listen to the Conversation Below:
Caller: “My ex filed for divorce in January. I have requested mediation I don’t know how many times, and she won’t answer, won’t step up to the table, won’t do anything. And this is still dragging on. Is there any way to get her to finalize this, or go to mediation, or just speed things up?”
Rick: “Which county is this filed in?“
Caller: “Snohomish.”
Rick: “Okay. Ultimately what the court is going to require is that there be some sort of settlement attempt even short of court. They’re really doing that for the purposes of judicial efficiency. Now, in Snohomish County, one of the things you’ll want to do…or wait, first, are you represented?”
Caller: “Yes.”
Rick: “Okay. What your attorney already has done, or will want to do immediately, is to request a trial date from Snohomish County. They don’t give you one on day-one like they do in King and Pierce [Counties]. So you’ll want to request a trial date. Once that date is in there, even if it’s four months from now, there’s a big red star on that date, and it creates a little bit of urgency.
“She’s not going to want to go to trial either. It’s going to cost her a lot of money or a lot of heartache getting all that way. So the reality is, get something on the calendar so there’s now a deadline that she needs to prepare for. I’m telling you, 95% chance they’ll be on to mediation.”
Related Reading: Divorce After a Short Marriage