Q: What are the requirements for filing a petition for divorce?

A: The requirements for filing a petition for divorce vary for each state. Each state has residency and domicile requirements. That means one of the parties must have been a resident or domiciliary of the state for a specified period of time prior to the filing of the petition. Some states have a “cooling off” period, during which the parties may not commence divorce proceedings (or serve divorce papers) for a specified period of time after the petition has been filed.