Family Law:
Dissolution of Marriage

Legal Services handles dissolution of marriage cases in Lane County. It is necessary to make an hour-long appointment with the attorney to begin the process. We cannot help you if your spouse is also a student at the University of Oregon or if this is a contested divorce.

Click here for things to keep in mind if you anticipate filing for a divorce.

Before we file any papers with the court you will need to bring a check or money order made payable to "Ilona E. Koleszar, trust account" for the court costs and document preparation fee as follows: Court filing fee, $331; and document preparation fee, $30, for a total of $361.

After your initial appointment you will be asked to complete some informational forms. As soon we receive $361 and you return the completed forms to Legal Services, the Petition will be prepared. The Petition will set out the facts of your situation (for example, whether or not you have children, real property, and so forth). You will be asked to come in to review and sign the Petition.

The Petition will be filed at the courthouse. Our office then will send a copy of the Summons and Petition to your spouse along with a letter asking him or her to sign an Acceptance of Service form before a notary public. When your spouse signs this form it means that your spouse has received the papers. It does not mean that your spouse agrees with any of the terms set forth in the Petition. After we receive the signed form back from your spouse it will be filed with the court to verify his or her receipt of the papers or "service" as it is sometimes called.

If for some reason your spouse does not sign the Acceptance of Service it will be necessary to have him or her personally served at a cost of approximately $28. This should be discussed with the attorney or the legal assistant.

In Oregon you will be required to wait 90 days from the date of service (the date your spouse signed the Acceptance of Service or the date he or she was personally served) before the court will grant you a divorce, assuming your spouse does not file a formal response to your Petition. We will advise you when it nears the time to file the final papers.

Most of the time the attorney can present the final papers to the court without a formal hearing. At that time the judge will sign the final Judgment granting your divorce. Your divorce will be effective immediately.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice. Any incidental fee-paying University of Oregon student who has questions about divorce may call ASUO Legal Services at 346-4273 to arrange an appointment.

ASUO Legal Services' attorneys are licensed to practice in the State of Oregon. Information disseminated in this website does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. This page is for information purposes only. For legal advice, contact an attorney licensed in your state. You should not make legal hiring decisions based upon brochures, advertising or other promotional materials.