How to File a Divorce Response in Oregon

Review the details of your spouse's "Petition for Dissolution of Marriage" (also called "Divorce Petition") to understand what they are asking for in the divorce. 

If you don't have a copy of your spouse's petition, you can get one from your local circuit court. 

Your spouse's Divorce Petition will tell you:

• How your spouse thinks your things ("property") should be split up
• How your spouse thinks your debts should be split up
• Whether your spouse wants you to pay spousal support
• If you have kids:
  • Who your spouse thinks should get custody
  • What parenting plan your spouse wants to follow
  • Who should pay child support and how much

Mark everything in your spouse's petition that you disagree with.

You can find free forms on the Oregon Judicial Department website. Click on the forms for "Respondents." 

The forms you'll need are:  

1. "Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage" (or use this version if you don't have kids)
2. "Confidential Information Form"
3. "Notice of Filing Confidential Information Form"

You can also get copies of these same forms from your local courthouse for a small fee. 

Divorce Response

The most important form is the "Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage" (or "Divorce Response"). This form tells your spouse and the court what you issues you and your spouse don't agree on.

When filling out this forms, the most important sections are sections one and two:

• Section one is where you list the things you don't agree with your spouse on. For example, maybe your spouse wants you to pay spousal support and you don't think that's fair. In section one, you can write "I object to paying spousal support."
• Section two is where you can add the things you want in the divorce. For example, maybe you want custody of your kids or maybe you want your spouse to pay spousal support. You can write in those requests in section two. 

You don't have to provide a lot of detail or explanation in your Divorce Response. A sentence or two will do. Don't stress too much about the words you use either. The point is to give the court and your spouse basic notice of the things you don't agree on. 

Confidential Information Form and Notice

The Confidential Information Form (CIF) asks for personal information about you, like your Social Security Number and date of birth. If you don't have all the information, leaving some blanks empty is okay. 

Unlike most court forms you file, the CIF isn't publicly available. Your spouse also doesn't get a copy of this form. The information on this form is just for court staff to see.

Since this form is private, you also need to fill out a form called the "Notice of Filing Confidential Information Form." This tells your spouse that you filled out the CIF. 

After completing your forms, make copies of these two forms to mail to your spouse:

• "Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage" 
• “Notice of Filing Confidential Information Form” 

You don't need to make a copy of your “Confidential Information Form” because this form doesn't get mailed to your spouse.

You must file the original forms at the circuit court where your spouse filed for divorce. If you can't go in person, call the court to learn about other methods for turning in your forms.  

Additionally, you'll need to pay a $301 filing fee. If you can't afford the fee, ask court staff about getting a “fee waiver or deferral,” so you don’t have to pay the fee or can pay it later. 

Mail a copy of your “Response to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage" and “Notice of Filing Confidential Information Form” to your spouse to let them that you have filed a divorce response. You don't need to mail your “Confidential Information Form” to them. This is just for the court. 

You can mail these forms by regular USPS mail. No need to use certified or registered mail. 

Congratulations on filing your Divorce Response!  

However, this is just the first step in the contested divorce process. Read all the paperwork you receive from the court to understand your next steps.  

Now is also a good time to compromise with your spouse on some or all your disagreements. Visit this page to learn more about divorce settlements and agreements.