How to Respond to Divorce Papers in Newfoundland

Someone just handed you a stack of court documents. Your spouse has filed for divorce in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, and you have a strict deadline to decide what to do about it. The clock is already running.

Your Deadline

If you were served in Canada or the United States, you have 30 days from the date of service to file a Response. If you were served outside North America, you have 60 days. These deadlines are not flexible — the court will not extend them simply because you were busy or did not realize the timeline was running.

Your Three Options

Option 1: File a Response Contesting the Application

If you disagree with anything in the application — the proposed parenting arrangements, child support amount, spousal support, or property division — file Form F6.02A (Response) with the Supreme Court registry. This tells the court which claims you dispute and what you are asking for instead.

Filing a Response moves the case onto the contested track. This means case management conferences, settlement conferences, and potentially a trial. It increases costs and extends the timeline significantly, but it protects your ability to argue for different terms.

You should seriously consider consulting a lawyer before filing a contested Response, especially if property division, business assets, or complex custody arrangements are involved.

Option 2: File a Response Agreeing to Everything

You can file a Response that simply states you do not contest the divorce or any of the terms. This keeps the case on the uncontested track and allows your spouse to proceed to the Application for Judgment. Some Respondents file this type of Response to formally participate in the record without creating a dispute.

Option 3: Do Nothing

If you do not file any Response within the deadline, your spouse files a Notice of Default (Form F6.06A) and proceeds as if the divorce is uncontested. The judge can grant the divorce and any corollary relief your spouse requested — support, parenting arrangements, property division — without further notice to you.

Doing nothing does not stop the divorce. It means the terms your spouse proposed in their application are the terms the judge will review. If those terms are acceptable to you, doing nothing is a valid choice. If they are not, your window to object is the 30-day response period.

What a Response Must Include

Form F6.02A requires you to identify which claims in the Originating Application you agree with and which you dispute. If you are making your own claims for support or property division, you must also file a Financial Statement (Form F10.02A) and, if applicable, a Property Statement (Form F10.04A).

All documents must be printed single-sided and signed in wet ink. Electronic signatures and double-sided printing are rejected by the registry.

File your Response at the Supreme Court registry where the divorce was filed (typically the judicial centre closest to where either party or the children live). There is no filing fee for a Response.

After You Respond

If you file a contested Response, the court will schedule a case management conference to identify the issues in dispute and explore settlement options. If children are involved, both parties must attend Family Justice Services for parent education and mediation before the court will schedule a hearing.

If you filed an agreeing Response or no Response at all, the Applicant proceeds to file the Application for Judgment and the divorce moves toward finalization.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Divorce Filing Process Guide covers both the Applicant and Respondent sides of the process, with checklists for filing a Response and understanding your deadline obligations.

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