Filing for divorce or receiving divorce papers can feel very definitive and you might think that it is too late to change your mind. It is possible to stop the divorce process even after you or your spouse has filed for a divorce.
Stopping a divorce is easier if you take action quickly after filing. You might feel distraught if your spouse filed for divorce or might feel that it is too late to turn back if you were the one who requested the divorce. You can stop your divorce no matter how far along the procedure you are.
First though, it is crucial that you talk to your spouse and let them know you would like to fix things instead of getting divorced.
Filing for divorce was probably something that you or your spouse did after going through a crisis in your marriage and you need to be able to address these issues and find a way to make things work.
Fixing your marriage takes time but this is something you can do if you both agree to stopping the divorce process. It might be healthy to take a break and to spend some time apart so you can both do some work on yourselves and take some time to think about how you can make your marriage work again.
It is important that you both figure out what was missing from the marriage or which issues caused you or your spouse to ask for a divorce.
Get together after spending a couple of weeks apart so you can have a calm conversation about the marriage and about what needs to change.
You need to put together an action plan you can follow to get back together and make things work this time.
Meeting with a marriage friendly coach, counselor or therapist is a good way to figure out why you encountered a marriage crisis.
The meetings with your counselor or therapist will become a place where you can both safely discuss the issues you encountered in your marriage and learn how to communicate with your spouse in a healthy manner.
Your counselor or therapist will also help you create an action plan you can follow to make things work.
Following are tips to help strengthen your marriage. But first, check out my products related to marriage health.
If you are the one who filed for divorce, you need to go to the courthouse and ask for the process to be stopped.
You might be able to fill out a form to stop your divorce online depending on the jurisdiction where you live. Once this form has been filed, you will receive an official document that says your divorce case is dismissed.
The courthouse will probably request your spouse’s consent to stop the divorce process. It is easier to stop your divorce after filing if you can go to the courthouse with your spouse and fill out the form together.
If you are further along in the divorce process, you might have to attend a hearing together where you will be able to state under oath that you want to cancel the divorce.
In any case, do not give up on your marriage even if one of you already filed for divorce. If is never too late to fix your marriage if you’re willing to get help from outside yourselves from someone who is an expert in helping to save marriages.
Waverly Hanson
Marriage Counselor & Author
In my personal life, I have had a long successful marriage and have remarried following my husband's death. I have had three sons and helped raise a niece for three years and have seven grandchildren. I have loved spending time with them as they were growing up.
I also enjoy getting together with family and friends, ATVing in the mountains, photography, hiking, and traveling. I also enjoy reading, creating art, decorating, and serving others by volunteering.
Assisting couples in rebuilding their marriages has been so rewarding as I've had the privilege of seeing hundreds of couples reunite and get back to being positively connected to one another.
I also work with personal development and those who want to move forward by making positive improvements such as goal setting, self-care, boundaries, behavioral improvements, overcoming procrastination, conflict management, etc.