You finally made the decision. You’re ready to file for divorce, get some closure, and move on. But there’s one big problem: your spouse is nowhere to be found. No returned calls, no response to texts, and no known address. Did they ghost you… during your divorce?
First of all, you’re not alone. Many people face this exact situation. Whether your spouse moved out of state, cut contact, or simply refuses to engage, you still have options.
Here’s what you need to know—and how you can keep moving forward even if they’ve vanished from your life.
1. You Can Still Get Divorced—Even If They’ve Disappeared
In Georgia, you do not need your spouse’s permission or participation to complete a divorce. If you’ve tried to locate them and made a good-faith effort, the court gives you an option called service by publication.
🧾 Service by publication means notifying your spouse through a court-approved newspaper ad, after proving that you’ve done everything you reasonably can to find them.
Once that ad runs for four consecutive weeks, the court can allow your case to move forward.
2. You’ll Need to Show That You Tried to Find Them
Before the court approves publication service, you’ll need to show you’ve taken real steps to locate your spouse. This can include:
- Checking last known addresses
- Searching social media
- Contacting family or mutual friends
- Checking jail, military, or hospital records
⚖️ Georgia law doesn’t expect you to hire a private detective—but it does expect you to put in honest effort.
3. A Judge Can Finalize Your Divorce Without Their Input
After proper notice has been given (even by publication), your spouse has 60 days to respond. If they still don’t show up or file an answer, the court can finalize the divorce by default.
That means the judge can grant your requests for:
- Property division
- Custody
- Child support
- Any other relief you asked for
- Default divorces are not uncommon. Courts understand that some spouses simply choose not to participate.
4. But There Are Limits to What You Can Get Without Them
Here’s the catch: if your spouse never shows up, the court has limited authority—especially when it comes to awarding money or enforcing child custody across state lines.
That’s why even if you can’t locate them, you’ll want your divorce paperwork to be rock-solid. A poorly worded agreement or weak request could cost you down the road.
5. A Lawyer Can Help You Navigate the Unknown
When your spouse ghosts you, the divorce process becomes more technical. Service rules, deadlines, publication notices—it’s a lot. A lawyer can:
- Guide you through the “missing spouse” process
- Draft and file the right documents
- Make sure your rights are protected even if they never respond
📈 In fact, most successful service-by-publication divorces in Georgia involve some form of legal assistance.
You Don’t Have to Wait to Move On
Your future shouldn’t be held hostage by someone who’s decided to disappear. You deserve a clean break, closure, and the freedom to move forward with confidence.
Let us help you take the next step—ghosted or not.
Catherine Ryan, Attorney at Law can help you file and finalize your divorce the right way, even when your spouse won’t cooperate.