Assumption: "As the respondent, I will be told straight away when my spouse applies for the conditional order, and I will get an email at every stage."

Court Reality

What you receive depends on how the divorce application was made, whether it was online or by post, and on whether the court service holds your email address. GOV.UK says the court reviews the application for a conditional order, which can take several weeks. If the judge agrees, the court sends both spouses a certificate giving the time and date the conditional order will be granted. The published guidance does not describe a separate notice to the respondent at the moment of application, so some respondents may first hear at the certificate stage. One respondent told us they received emails and had to agree to every step by following the links sent. That is one person's experience, not a description of the official process. If you applied by post or the court has no email address for you, you may be contacted differently. If you were a respondent, which emails or letters did you receive, and at what stage? This is a community question, so please share only what happened to you and leave out names and personal details.