Making a decision to get divorced is not always a mutual decision. In situations where you have to deliver the divorce papers to your spouse, it can be quite a tense situation. The thought of breaking the sad news of divorce to your once trusted love of your life is daunting.

However, you do not just wake up and give out the divorce papers. This can land you to jail. It is good to read this article before you send the divorce papers. There are so many ways of sending them and one of them is mailing.

What is mailing?

Mailing is a process of sending a package via postal order or other mailing services. Mailing requires a mailing address for the sender and the receiver. There are numerous types of mailing services rendered by the United States Postal Services. A major determinant of such services is the load capacity in the deliveries. Let us look at some of the modes of services rendered by this office.

Express mail

Considered the quickest mode of mail delivery, this type guarantees swift delivery period. Most deliveries done through this method arrive before the day ends. In most parts of the nation, express mail is convenient as it also operates over the weekends and holidays.

Parcels are charged depending on their weight. Needless to say, this mode of delivery is costly compared to other modes.

First-class mail

Out of all modes of delivery, first-class mail leads in terms of popularity. It is considered all-inclusive since it facilitates the delivery of items such as ordinary envelopes, all types of cards, packages and even postcards.

However, it has its specifications regarding the size of any parcel to be delivered. Letters mailed through this mode have to have a stamp, which goes for 44 cents. Standard size postcards can be mailed at 28 cents. For the cards and envelopes, each size has its own charges. For instance, a 6 inch long card can go for 44 cents.

Priority mail

This mode of delivery consists of a single flat rate for each delivery. A flat rate simply means that the amount is fixed and constant throughout. Packages are not charged as per their weight, but rather on the type of flat rate packages which you will use to put your delivery. This method allows a maximum weight of 70 pounds.

A good thing with this method is that you have the flexibility to send several items for a single cost. Priority mail usually takes one to three days to reach the destination.

Media mail

Media can refer to any mode of relaying information. When it comes to making deliveries, media can be in form of printed music, books, videos, audio tapes in DVDs and CDs. This mode is considered profitable. However, it has its downside in that deliveries normally take a longer duration, from 2 – 10 days.

Media mail has its own specifications, like the other modes. Charges depend on the weight. There is also a restricted capacity. Packages that weigh 35 kilograms/ 70 pounds or more are not allowed.

USPS marketing mail

This is a type of mail used for the packages which do not require the other types of mail services. The package should weigh 16 ounces or less. Mailers use this method to send packages like:

• Printed matter, flyers, circulars, advertising.
• Newsletters, bulletins, and catalogs.
• Small parcels.

The minimum quantity for sending a package via this method is 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail. There is no single-piece USPS Marketing Mail postage. In USPS Marketing Mail, there are prices for letters, flats/large envelopes, parcels, Marketing parcels and Parcel Select Lightweight parcels.

The are other extra services that can be used with these services including: electronic USPS Tracking, bulk insurance, and return receipt for merchandise. USPS Marketing Mail, USPS Marketing Mail parcels, Marketing parcels and Parcel Select Lightweight parcels are not forwarded or returned unless you request it with an ancillary service endorsement.

Forwarding and return services may result in additional fees or postage.

International mail delivery service

There are services offered for the packages that are sent overseas. These services are expensive because of the shipping fee. The size and the weight of the package depends on the mode of shipping being used. Either by the sea or by plane.

Email

This is an electronic form of sending a mail. It is done over the internet. The sender has an address as well as the receiver. The information send through email is in form of files like images, documents, videos, as well as text. Email addresses are created under different service providers like:

Gmail

This is the best free email provider service currently. It is simple and user-friendly. It has over 10GB of free storage, it has an excellent spam filter and it also enables access via mobile access.

Yahoo

It is among the best free email services available on mobile phones and over the web. The services they offer include: instant messaging, SMS texting, social networking and email storage. A single email can occupy up to 50 files or 100MB size.

iCloud mail

iCloud takes your Apple ID to sign in that you use with your iCloud account. iCloud Mail gives you full access to your emails that include folders of Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Trash, VIP, Archive, Junk. As iCloud Mail is linked with your Apple ID, you can access to your contact list also.

Outlook.com

Thi is the reinvented hotmail. It builds off the power of outlook on PCs and Macs. its user interface is very tidy as it does not have display ads. It built up is based on the latest trends in the internet communication. You can use this email to connect to social networks, and also integrate with skydrive which helps you access office web apps for word, powerpoint, and excel

Mail.com

Mail.com offers most of the important email features that you might be thinking about. Most importantly, you can select the email domain name that will suit you best from over 200 domain names e.g. yourname@consultant.com , yourname@journalist.com etc

Can divorce papers be mailed?

The answer is yes. But you have to know which mailing method to use first. Before you embark on a specific mail, set yourself to know what you need to send and what method would be easy and cost effective for you.

You also have to consider which method is suitable for your spouse that they can receive the divorce papers in an efficient way and within a short duration. The following are the main mail methods that can be used to send divorce papers

First class mail

You can send the petition to your spouse through their postal address together with an acknowledgement form where your spouse will be required to sign, date, and send them back. If they do not return them by the specified method, you might be forced to use another method to send the papers

Certified mail

Using a certified mail requires you to send the divorce papers along with a return receipt for your spouse to sign. This return receipt is then mailed back to the sender and serves as  a proof of service in court.

There are other methods of sending divorce papers to your spouse. Below are some of the methods you can use to serve divorce papers apart from mailing them.

Acceptance of service

This is where the divorce papers are delivered to your spouse by a person who is over 18 years old. This person should not be your child. Your spouse should sign and key in the date in the acceptance of service paper in order to confirm that he or she received the petition.

Personal service by sheriff

You can get a sheriff and pay them to deliver your divorce papers to your spouse. The person serving the divorce papers should fill a proof of service which is eventually served in court. This person does not have to be a sheriff. You can hire a professional process server

By publication

If all the other methods fail, the court can allow the service to be made by publication. This can be carried out by announcing the divorce petition in a newspaper where your spouse live for a certain duration of time. For proof of service, you will be required to return a copy of the newspaper notice together with a statement of how long the publication ran for.

Factors to consider before divorce papers are mailed

Before using the mail to send your divorce papers, there are factors which you have to consider. Look keenly through the factors and ensure before you send the documents, you are well prepared for the benefits and the consequences

Child custody

The law stipulates that children under the age of 18 are minors and therefore both parents must decide on their custody. There are four main types of custody that the court can grant. There is the sole physical custody in which the minor is under the supervision of one parent.

The second type of custody is the sole legal custody where one parent will make all the decisions concerning the welfare of the minor. The other type of custody is the joint physical custody in which all the parents will have physical contact with the minor at separate times.

The last type of custody is the joint legal custody in which all the parents can make decisions concerning the wellbeing of the minor.

Property settlement

Going through a divorce can be a painful and stressing at the same time. Property settlement makes it even harder. The first import thing the court is going to consider while splitting property is whether the property is communal or non-communal. Communal property refers to all the income that was earned during the marriage period. On the other hand, non-community property refers to all the assets and income earned by the individual spouse while alone.

Child support

If you are going through a divorce and there are minors involved is mandatory to include the child support clause. The support is compulsory whether the parent is unemployed or is nowhere to be found. Different states have different laws that dictate the guidelines for payments.

The settlement amount is pegged at certain levels depending on the amount of time spent with the minor and the level of income of the concerned parent. The pegged amount can include or exclude the following expenses, child care, health care and insurance, travel and visitation costs and special education and related expenses.

Spousal support/ Alimony

The other important item to consider before serving the divorce papers is the spousal support. This kind of financial support is sometimes referred to as alimony. Alimony is either based on the sole decision of the court or the agreement between the partners. The purpose of it all is to ensure sustainable income of the spouse who is not employed.

The cost

Before sending the papers to your spouse, consider the method to use. Will this method fit the size and the weight of your papers? Will the charges be pocket friendly for you? How long will it take for your spouse to return the proof of service document? These are what contributes to the costs of mailing. If you can meet the costs, then you can send them and even better of, you can choose the fastest method of mail delivery to fasten the process. It all depends on your budget

Divorce in Utah

Mailing is the most convenient way of sending your divorce papers since it does not involve other people and it is less expensive. However, you should choose your mailing method advisably and wisely. Do not just wake up in a day and decide to mail your spouse petitioning for a divorce. Have a solid reason and stand your ground. If they do not accept the divorce papers mailed to them, then use another method out of the ones listed above to serve the divorce papers.

Divorce Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help for divorce, separation, or family law in Utah, please call Ascent Law for your Free Consultation at (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.