I feel like i need to contact WAW

[techguy]

I know the chance is slim, but still no D papers yet. And if I do get them do I have to sign them immediately?

Can I buy time in anyway if I do get D papers?

Every state is different, but generally speaking divorce is basically a civil lawsuit. Like any lawsuit, you can settle out of court quickly or you can go through the entire trial process.

When you get served, you will probably have 20 days or so to file a response to the court. The response is a fairly standard boiler plate document. For example, if she asks for sole custody of the kids, then you ask for sole custody in your response.

Then your WAW can request a court date for an "interim order". That is where she asks the judge to make a preliminary ruling on where the kids should stay while the lawsuit moves forward, who gets to live in what house, and to request that you provide her a monthly check for support.

Then she files a "demand for production of documents", where the court orders you to supply her attorney with financial documents from previous years, etc... They use that to prepare for the trial to support their claim for spousal support (alimony) and\or child supprt.

If there is a custody dispute the court will likely appoint a child custody investigator. She will meet with you and your WAW and make a suggestion to the court for who should get final custody at the trial. Ths part alone can take months.

The reality is that this full legal process is very expensive. (A full trial with a custody dispute could easily cost you both $20,000+ in legal fees).

So, in reality, the WAW will want to negotiate with you to reach a mutal agreement so you can settle without going to trial. However, you can drag that on and on. Just haggle alot and be unreasonable. It is very easy to force the the process into a six month affair.