North Dakota Divorce

The following North Dakota divorce resources include relevant ND divorce laws, child custody laws and information, and how to access the official child support guidelines and calculator. You will also find resources to locate a divorce lawyer, do it yourself divorce forms, support groups, shelters, and more.

To help you understand the terminology a little better, the plaintiff is the person who initiates the divorce process and the defendant is the person who the divorce papers are filed on.

What are the ND residency requirements to file for a divorce? 

A person needs to have been a North Dakota resident for at least 6 months before filing the divorce petition. If the plaintiff hasn't lived in the state for the required time period, a separation or divorce may still be granted if he or she is a resident in good faith for 6 months immediately preceding entry of the separation or divorce decree. For military personnel, residency is established if the military member is stationed within the state.

Where is the divorce petition filed?

If the defendant is a North Dakota resident, the petition must be filed with the county district court where the defendant resides. Non-resident defendants must file the divorce petition in the plaintiff's county of residence.