if one party deciedes to change a divorce from uncontested to contested, does the other party have to be served papers

Adversary must be provided with all pleadings and a proof of service (green card from a certified mailing or affidavit of process server) must be given to the court to show adversary was notified.
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Hiring a lawyer; Is it Legal? Is it Illegal?...Understanding the different court systems;
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Divorce in General and How It's Handled in New Jersey
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER…………………………………………………………………..
Mr. Sarno is licensed to practice law in NJ and NY. His response here is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/ client relationship. The response is in the form of legal education and is intended to provide general information about the matter in question. Many times the questioner may leave out details which would make the reply unsuitable. Mr. Sarno strongly advises the questioner to confer with an attorney in their own state to acquire more information about this issue.

Yes, the Plaintiff must serve the other spouse with a copy of the Complaint for Divorce.