response-dissolution

name	response-dissolution
title	Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
description	Drafts a Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage addressing each allegation with admit/deny/lack-of-information responses and stating positions on custody, support, property, and fees. Triggers when user needs to respond to a divorce petition, file an answer to dissolution, or avoid default judgment in family law proceedings.
author	CaseMark
author_url	https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/response-dissolution
license	Apache-2.0
version	0.1.0
execution_mode	open
jurisdiction	us
practice	family
language	en
tags	["drafting","litigation","pleading"]

Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage

Drafts the respondent's formal answer to a divorce petition, addressing every allegation and establishing positions on all contested issues to prevent default.

Prerequisites

• Filed petition — case number, court, all allegations
• Client instructions — positions on custody, support, property; factual disputes (especially separation date)
• Financial records — income, assets, debts, retirement, business interests
• Children's information — names, DOBs, living/school arrangements, parenting history
• Service date — confirms response deadline (typically 30 days)

Quick Start

1. Gather the petition and client instructions
2. Mirror the petition's caption exactly (court, case number, party names)
3. Respond to every allegation paragraph-by-paragraph using the response framework
4. State positions on each contested issue in order
5. Include verification and signature block
6. Confirm filing deadline from service date

Response Framework

Every petition allegation must receive one response — an unaddressed allegation may be deemed admitted.

Response	Use When
Admit	Allegation is true
Deny	Allegation is false — state correct fact
Admit in part, deny in part	Partially true — specify each portion
Lack of information	Respondent genuinely cannot confirm or deny

Required Sections (in order)

1. Jurisdiction & Residency — Admit or correct residency/domicile allegations
2. Statistical Facts — Marriage date, separation date, marriage length, minor children. Flag any disputed separation date with respondent's asserted date and basis.
3. Child Custody & Visitation — Legal custody (sole/joint), physical custody (sole/joint/primary-to-respondent), proposed visitation if not seeking primary, factual basis (parenting history, routines, involvement)
4. Child Support — Agrees to pay / seeks from petitioner / requests guideline deviation with justification
5. Spousal Support — Seeks / opposes / agrees to pay; cite income disparity, earning capacity, marital standard of living, marriage length