What to Do If You’ve Been Served with Custody Papers in Nevada
When you are served with custody papers, there are several steps you need to take in order to have a say in the final court order of the case. The following describes the custody proceeding that a Reno family law attorney can help you navigate.
I. Read the Papers
The first step in what to do if you’ve been served with custody papers is to read the custody papers as soon as possible. Custody papers can contain the Plaintiff’s request on the custody matter. The court has yet to order anything that is stated in the custody papers. As the Defendant of the case, it is important to review the custody papers and decide on what part of the papers you agree with and what part of the papers you disagree with. If you agree with everything that is stated in the custody papers, the petitioning parent can request a default judgment on the papers and the court will rule in favor of everything stated in the custody papers. If you disagree with any part of the custody papers, there are several more steps to follow in the custody process.
II. Take Note of the Deadlines
In Washoe County, the court grants the Defendant 20 days to respond to the custody papers. If you want to be involved in the custody proceedings, it is crucial that you respond to being served with custody papers within 20 days of service. This means that you will need to file a motion within 20 days of receiving the custody papers.
III. Consult an Attorney
A Reno family law attorney can help explain your options when you’ve been served custody papers and simplify the court process.
IV. Construct a Response
When you disagree with any aspect of the other parent’s custody papers, you must file an answer to the custody papers within 20 days of being served the papers. The filing of an answer to the custody papers guarantees that you will have a say in the custody court case. If you would like to integrate your own requests to your answer to the custody papers, you can file an answer with a counterclaim. The court also requires a Defendant to file a financial disclosure form within 30 days of when you file your answer to the custody papers. An experienced family law attorney can assist you in creating and filing a response to the custody papers in Reno, Nevada.
V. Serve the Plaintiff
The Washoe County Court System will not serve the other parent the answer to custody papers for you. Once you have filled out and filed the papers, you must have someone 18 years of age or older serve the Plaintiff for you.
If you are overwhelmed by the custody court process and want to get the best possible court outcome, contact the experienced family law lawyers of Carlson & Work today. At Carlson & Work of Reno, Nevada, our family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody court proceedings with ease. Call our office today at 775-386-2226
