Once the Defendant is served, he or she has 20 days (if served in the State of Wyoming) or 30 days (if served out-of-state) to file an Answer OR an Answer & Counterclaim responding to the Complaint for Divorce. You must wait until the 20 days (or 30 days if served out of state) expires before you can proceed with the divorce case, even if the Defendant tells you that he or she is not going to file an Answer or Answer & Counterclaim.
TIME LIMIT COMPUTATIONS: In computing most time limits, unless otherwise stated, the day the document is served shall not be included. The last day of the time period is included, unless it lands on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, or, if the Courthouse is closed, then the time limit will be on the very next day the Courthouse is open. If you have questions about time limits, you should seek the advice of an attorney.
BEST PRACTICE: Mark a calendar on the day that the Defendant's time to Answer expires.
- While waiting, move on to Step 5. You can use this time to continue to work on the other required forms to be sure they are filled out completely and correctly.