What are the mechanics of an action for divorce?

An action for dissolution of marriage, or a divorce, is a lawsuit brought by one spouse against the other. It starts by filing an Original Petition for Divorce. A petition is nothing more than a letter drafted and couched in legal terms written to the court telling the court what that person wants. A petition is answered by either Original Answer or Answer and Counter-Petition. Similar to the Original Petition, the Answer or Counter-Petition is a document that tells the court what that person wants.