Can I File For Divorce In Oregon If I Don't Know Where My Spouse Is?

Yes, you do not need to know where your spouse is located to file for divorce. However, after you file, the general rule is that you must make a reasonable effort to locate and serve your spouse. In most cases, personal service is required. This involves having a sheriff or a private process server deliver the divorce petition to your spouse. Of course, if you do not know where they are, this is not possible. Thus, if, after exhausting reasonable efforts to find and serve the spouse, you still cannot identify where your spouse is, you can petition the court to ask for permission to serve your spouse by an alternate means. One way to do this is by paying a newspaper to publish the divorce petition. While expensive, this allows you to satisfy the notice requirement. However, if you do not know where your spouse is, this is one way to proceed with an Oregon divorce.