The Family Law Court Process: Step 3 - The Reply
A possible third step in the family law or divorce court process is the Reply. I say it's possible because a Reply is only made when the respondent makes an Answer that raises new claims. In that case, the applicant can respond to only the new claims.
Similar to the application and the answer, the Reply will set out the applicant's response to the new issue(s) raised by the respondent. But if the responding person does not raise new issues in his or her Answer, the applicant does not make a Reply.
A Reply can be lengthy and your family law lawyer will write the response with your input. The costs associated with making a Reply are approximately the same as the other main documents -- $3500 to $5000 -- depending on the length of the response and the complexity of gathering information needed to respond to the new claims.
Photo credit: Olya Harytovich
A Reply can be made only by the applicant. So if you are considering starting a court proceeding, it is helpful to consult a family law lawyer well in advance. This will help you to understand the probable costs ahead of time and form expectations accordingly. The closer your expectations are attuned to reality, the better the experience will be for you.
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