Acknowledgement of Service is a agreement signed by the defendant (or the defendant's attorney) where the Defendant acknowledges they have received the Plaintiff's complaint and other filed documents. A signed, notarized, and filed Acknowledgement of service, relieves the plaintiff of having to pay a process server or sheriff.
The clerk of court is responsible for receiving, filing, maintaining, and safeguarding court records, including documents filed in your case. Each county has its own clerk of court with offices located inside the county courthouse.
Contempt of Court is a party's willful failure to obey an order of the court. This can include failure to pay child support or alimony.
In an uncontested divorce, the spouses agree on the terms of the divorce, including division of property and/or debts, custody of children, child support, and alimony. Typically, the Defendant will have signed an acknowledgement of service and all necessary forms if the divorce is uncontested.
In a contested divorce, the spouses are unable to agree upon the terms of the divorce, including property, debts, alimony, or child support and/or custody. Any issues not agreed on by the parties will either be resolved by the parties at mediation or by the Judge in a hearing.
The Defendant is the person who has a case filed against them by a Plaintiff.
Filing is the act of submitting a document to the clerk of court for the Judge's consideration and for storage in the court's files. A Judge will not consider any documents submitted directly to their office.
Filing can be done online ("E-filing" or "Electronic Filing") or in person in the Clerk of Court's Office. E-filing is done through PeachCourt.com. For more information click the link below:
Mediation (also known as Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR) may be ordered by the Judge if any issue in your case is not agreed upon. At mediation, a neutral person facilitates negotiations between the parties and attempts to assist them in working out a mutually agreed upon resolution to the issue(s) remaining in the case.
Plaintiff is the party who initially files a case in court.
Litigants or parties representing themselves in court without the assistance of an attorney are known as pro se litigants.
Service of Process is the procedure by which the Plaintiff gives notice to the Defendant that a case has been filed against them through a sheriff's deputy or private process server. This method must be used when the Defendant cannot or will not sign an acknowledgement of service. Plaintiff is responsible for paying any fees associated with execution of service.