A legal proceeding where one party to a dissolution of marriage case does not respond to the initial petition or fails to appear in court. This situation allows the petitioning party to proceed with the divorce unopposed. For example, if a spouse files for divorce and the other spouse fails to file an answer within the allotted time frame, the court may enter a judgment in favor of the filing spouse.
This type of resolution offers efficiency and finality when one party is unwilling or unable to participate in the legal process. It streamlines the process, potentially reducing legal costs and time. Historically, such procedures have been a mechanism to ensure the legal system can resolve domestic disputes even when one party is absent or uncooperative, protecting the interests of the participating party and allowing them to move forward.