You would need to request the court to allow the court bailiff to personally serve the divorce documents on the respondent. The court bailiff would then swear an affidavit confirming service, should the respondent still not respond you proceed to the next stage, the application for special procedure whereby you would use the sworn affidavit as an exhibit. You will have to pay the court a fixed fee for this service. After service you must allow 29 days for the respondent to file a defence (called an ‘answer’ in divorce proceedings) and, if they do not, you can then apply for the decree nisi (the first divorce decree).
What if the respondent does not return the acknowledgement of service form?
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