General Answer To Petition For Dissolution Of Marriage With Children {Form 216}

Rule 17.200--Form 216: General Answer to a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children Respondent: You must file an Answer in the county where the Petition was filed within 20 days after receiving the Petition and Original Notice, or the court may enter a judgment against Respondent giving Petitioner what he or she asked for in the Petition. If the Petition you received is on form 201, use form 215 for your Answer. Read the Guide to Representing Yourself in an Iowa Divorce Case on the Iowa Judicial Branch website before using this form. If filing electronically and you include protected information on this form, fill out or update the Protected Information Disclosure form (211). If filing in paper, you may use form 211 to provide any protected information in full. If you do not understand how to use this form, or if you should use this form, talk to an attorney. In the Iowa District Court for County where Petition is filed County Upon the Petition of Petitioner You spouse's full name: first, middle, last Equity case no. and concerning General Answer to a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children Respondent Your full name: first, middle, last 1. Respondent's Answer You are Respondent. A. Respondent admits that the following paragraphs in the Petition are true: List the numbers of the paragraphs in the Petition that you think are true. If you decide later that the paragraphs you list here are not true, it may be too late to change your answer. B. Respondent denies that the following paragraphs in the Petition are true: List the numbers of the paragraphs in the Petition that you think are false. C. Respondent does not know whether the following paragraphs in the Petition are true: List the numbers of the paragraphs in the Petition that you are not sure about. If you cannot say a paragraph or a part of a paragraph is true or not true, it may be because you do not know something, such as a date, place, or when something happened. December 2013 Rule 17.200--Form 216 Page 1 of 5 American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com Rule 17.200--Form 216: General Answer to a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children, continued D. Children's living arrangements Places where the children have lived during the last five years and the parent(s) or adult(s) who acted as parents: (1) Children: Initials Lived with Adult name At City (2) Children: Initials Lived with Adult name At City (3) Children: Initials Lived with Adult name At City (4) Children: Initials Lived with Adult name At City (5) Children: Initials Lived with Adult name At City State Check this box if you have attached a separate sheet listing additional children. If the children have not lived in Iowa for six months, you may be able to get a divorce, but you might not be able to get custody. The rules are complicated and you may need to talk to an attorney. Initials Initials from mm State Initials / dd / yyyy to Initials / dd / yyyy mm Initials Initials from mm State Initials / dd / yyyy to Initials / dd / yyyy mm Initials Initials from mm State Initials / dd / yyyy to Initials / dd / yyyy mm Initials Initials from mm State Initials / dd / yyyy to Initials / dd / yyyy mm Initials Initials from mm Initials / dd / yyyy to Initials / dd / yyyy mm December 2013 Rule 17.200--Form 216 Page 2 of 5 American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com Rule 17.200--Form 216: General Answer to a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children, continued E. Protective or no contact orders Check one (1) (2) There is neither a "protective order" nor a "no contact order" between Respondent (you) and Petitioner (your spouse). There is a "protective order" or "no contact order" between Respondent and Petitioner. If you check (2), fill in the following information: a. County and state where the order came from: County b. Court case number: State F. Other cases about the children Check (1) or (2) (1) (2) There are no other cases about the children. If you check (1), skip to G. There are other cases about the children. If there is an order from out of state about the children, an Iowa court may not be able to issue an order about custody or visitation. The rules are complicated and you may need to talk to an attorney. If you check F(2), fill in the applicable information below. a. Juvenile court Check i or ii. i. ii. There is no juvenile court case. There is a juvenile court case. If you check ii, fill in the following information: (a) County and state of the juvenile court case: County (b) Juvenile court case number: State Check (i) or (ii) (i) (ii) Concurrent jurisdiction has been granted. Concurrent jurisdiction has not been granted. If the juvenile court has not given concurrent jurisdiction (permission,) then child custody cannot be decided in this case. You should talk to an attorney. b. Custody order You might not be able to get custody in Iowa if there is a custody order entered in another state. Check i or ii. i. ii. There is no custody order. There is a custody order. If you check ii, fill in the following information: (a) County and state where the custody order came from: County (b) Court case number: State December 2013 Rule 17.200--Form 216 Page 3 of 5 American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com Rule 17.200--Form 216: General Answer to a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children, continued c. Child support order Check i or ii. i. ii. There is no child support order. There is a child support order. If you check ii, fill in the following information: (a) County and state where the child support order came from: County (b) Court case number: State G. Respondent denies anything in the Petition that is not admitted in this Answer. H. Other information: 2. Respondent's Request If you do not know what you want, talk to an attorney. Respondent asks the court to: Write here what you would like the court to do. For example, tell the court if you want a divorce. Be brief. Do not write long descriptions. Continued on next page December 2013 Rule 17.200--Form 216 Page 4 of 5 American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com Rule 17.200--Form 216: General Answer to a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children, continued 3. Attorney Help Check one A. B. An attorney did not help me prepare or fill in this paper. An attorney helped me prepare or fill in this paper. If you check B, you must fill in the following information: Name of attorney or organization, if any Attorney's P.I.N. # ­ Ask the attorney Business address