Was served with divorce papers, what do I do next?

You have 20 days in which to file an Answer. I'm sure it will come as no surprise that I recommend that you call some family law attorneys in your area - many offer free consultations and you would be wise to meet with one or two to discuss the specifics of your situation. Too many times people don't do this and then the final judgment is signed and there are regrets.

I certainly agree with Attorney Drake. If you are unable to obtain counsel, you would want to go to the self help center in your courthouse or obtain the "forms" to complete in response to the divorce petition (i.e. a lawsuit). Before you do that, however, you should really at least obtain a consultation from an attorney to ensure that all issues, such as jurisdiction, are proper so that you can ascertain if you should attempt to dismiss the matter or simply answer the matter.

You can file the answer on your own and just make sure you fill out the necessary forms, there are a lot of them. You will need the 50$ self help answer packet. It's a lot of work but you can do it. If you aren't sure of what your are doing after reading the forms, then definitely consult an attorney.