Most people think of divorce as an antagonistic process, but a couple can file a joint petition using a joinder. In a divorce, the two parties are the petitioner and the respondent. But if the two sides are in agreement, the respondent can sign a joinder.
Different states often have very, very different rules for divorce and custody. In some states, laws even vary by county. This includes differences in property division, custody, and support payments
A part of the Economic Services Administration, the Washington Division of Child Support is there to aid parents in collecting and paying court-ordered child support. In seeking to ensure the best for people, the Washington Division of Child Support provides a wide variety of services and resources.
Your testimony and what you have to say should leave the greatest impression. Be clean, be professional, be appropriate. Tips for dressing for court: Keep it simple. Know the dress code. Cover tattoos and piercings. Be well-groomed and presentable, well-fitting, comfortable clothes.
While the word ‘annulment’ is commonly used, the legal term in Washington is ‘Declaration of Invalidity’. Annulment is usually associated with the Catholic church.
With the proliferation of do-it-yourself divorce websites, online tools, and similar resources, you don’t necessarily need an attorney to end your marriage. But there are times it’s vital.
The divorce process is complicated and it’s important to have strategies in place. It has a massive impact on your future, influencing everything from finances to your living situation to how much you see your kids.
It’s important to do what you can to minimize the fighting, for everyone’s sanity, but most importantly, for your kids.
1. Make Custody Exchanges in Public 2. Bring A Witness 3. Prepare For Custody Exchanges 4. Have Custody Exchanges At Daycare 5. Have Custody Exchanges At School 6. Use Alternate Forms Of Communication
The intent of these payments is to ease the financial hardships of the dependent spouse following a divorce. Some states have different types of spousal support, but in Washington, individual judges use a list of factors to decide whether to award it, how much, and for how long.
There are situations where the court has awarded a non-biological parent, like a stepparent, custody over a biological mother or father. These situations are few and far between and usually represent extreme circumstances. But they do exist.
Once handed down by the proper authorities, your divorce agreement is an official court order. That means the terms are legally enforceable. You have a variety of ways to deal with this situation.
In a legal sense, this is when a person represents himself or herself in court instead of hiring an attorney. You can download the forms, fill them out, pay some fees, and file the paperwork. However, pro se divorce comes with its own set of positives and negatives.
The judge generally considers parental ability, the child’s needs, age, and environmental stability. To determine this, expect every area of your life and relationships to be probed. You may need to provide evidence or witness testimony to demonstrate parenting ability.
To relocate a child, the law requires the residential parent to file a Notice of Intended Relocation, and the other parent has 30 days to object. For international vacations, both parents must give consent to obtain a passport for children under 16.
A parenting plan lays out everything related to your child’s life moving forward. This includes custody arrangements, residential schedules, and who has decision making authority in what situations.
Your business is an asset. Whether it’s a construction company, small dog walking service, or multi-million-dollar software concern, the court may view it as a community property and treat it as such.
There are 2 types of property: community property, which means the state views all property and debts acquired during a marriage as belonging equally to both spouses, and separate property, meaning it belongs to one spouse or the other.
In most cases in Washington, child support comes to an end when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. A number of circumstances do exist where payments continue longer, such as postsecondary education or a child with a mental or physical disability.
The custodial parent can spend the money you pay for child support however they see fit. This means, in most cases, they’re not required to detail how they use the support money. But, in some instances, the court may require it.
Having a Joint Residential Schedule, or joint custody, is when the court awards both parents parental rights and responsibilities. They may not live together, but both participate and share duties in the child’s life in a substantial way.
A divorce starts when one spouse completes the divorce form and submits the paperwork and then serves their spouse. Next, are things like temporary orders, support payment calculations, and child custody disputes. Then, you sign and file your forms, and once approved by the court, your divorce becomes final.
Though the state recognizes common-law marriages from other states—in reality, only a few still embrace the custom—Washington itself does not allow the practice. What they do have are Committed Intimate Relationships.
Washington is a community property state. This means the courts view all assets earned or acquired during the marriage as belonging equally to both spouses. This happens to all property acquired during the marriage unless it can be categorized as separate property.
A divorce decree represents the court’s final ruling on the matter at hand. On a practical level, it grants the dissolution of marriage and lays out the basic information regarding the split. This includes the case number, divorce date, and each party’s responsibilities.
Ending a marriage usually evokes images of court, but there are other options. Divorce mediation is a common, effective option.
The initial consultation is an opportunity to get your questions answered and help you better understand how your circumstances affect the divorce process.
Moving out of a shared home can have a negative impact on your divorce in a number of ways. It’s important to know the impact this decision can have.
In divorce and custody suits, a guardian ad litem may come in to look after the best interest of any children involved. Here’s what you need to be aware of.
Divorce or bankruptcy, which should you file first? Every situation is different, and there are many variables, but here’s what to consider. In general, however, our attorneys recommend dealing with the financial issues of bankruptcy before proceeding with divorce.
The division of property plays a big role when it comes to ending a marriage, but it’s also important to know how courts treat shared debt in divorce.
When it comes to child custody, the overriding concern is what’s in the best interest of the kids. In most cases, the court believes keeping kids together is the ideal choice. While it is possible, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as safety concerns, the court won’t separate siblings.
In child custody cases, the right of first refusal is a provision in a parenting plan that affects the time noncustodial parents spend with their children. It allows a parent to capitalize on opportunities to look after their kids.
While no single number encompasses everything, the average cost of divorce in Washington is between $10,500 and $12,000. With children, the average cost of divorce is $15,500. Depending on the circumstances, the total can be much higher or lower.
There’s a lot of information floating around, but how can you differentiate between an urban legend and a scary divorce fact?
People are quick to offer advice about divorce, and one frequently shared tidbit is that you need to file for divorce first. But do you really?
Whether it’s football or soccer, dance class, martial arts, or chess club; whatever the specific activity, the regulations are similar. If you and your ex can’t agree, a parenting plan helps navigate these waters, in some cases, a modification may be in order.
Where money comes from in a marriage has a lot to do with who gets it in a divorce. How does this impact a personal injury settlement?
Simply put, an uncontested divorce means that both spouses agree on all related issues. On the other hand, a contested divorce is, as it sounds, a situation where spouses have substantial disagreements and the process takes much longer and gets complicated.
A great deal of information changes hands during the divorce process. Discovery is the tool through which this happens. Here’s how it works.
What happens when your spouse serves you with divorce papers? It comes with a lot of questions. How do you respond? What do you do next?
Education is a big part of most people’s lives. And at least one person believes education impacts divorce and divorce rates.
Divorce isn’t the only way to end a marriage. In certain cases, legal separation is an option. Here’s what to know about the differences and similarities.
If your ex gets a new job, like one at a strip club, and it jeopardizes your child’s safety and well-being, you may have grounds to modify a parenting plan. But it’s also important to know that, even if you show cause, judges are often reluctant to change a court order once in place.
When one spouse increases the value of an asset through sweat equity, who does that belong to? Because Washington is a community property state, the law considers all assets and property as belonging to both spouses. In most circumstances, this includes increased value due to sweat equity.
To change a child support order in Washington State, there are two different ways to proceed. One is to file a Motion for Adjustment of Child Support and the other is to submit a Petition to Modify Child Support. For the paying parent, this commonly from a drop in income, frequently due to the loss of a job.
People often do things that damage their own divorce cases. Common issues include: Filing before they’re ready. Agreeing to unfavorable terms. Taking bad advice. Moving out without considering the ramifications, and more.
Life insurance policies can be one of the more delicate knots to untie in divorce and oftentimes get overlooked when ending a marriage.
In short, no-fault divorce is exactly what it sounds like. You don’t have to prove that either party is to blame for the marriage crumbling. All the court requires is that you declare the union broken beyond repair with no hope of reconciliation. Do that, actually be legally married, meet state residency requirements, and follow the proper procedure, and you can dissolve your marriage.
When it comes to ending a marriage, timing is everything. Here’s what to consider when determining the best time to divorce.
Different generations have different traits. Obviously. But how each age group views marriage and divorce tells us a lot about them.
False abuse allegations in divorce cases are a regrettably common occurrence. One spouse may think that leveling such accusations against the other is advantageous. Too often, this assumption proves correct.
There are multiple types of protective orders that can be used for a variety of reasons. They can be temporary or permanent. Domestic violence, no-contact orders, and civil anti-harassment to name a few.
In Washington, pets are considered property, but courts are evolving, some take into consideration whom is most closely bonded to the pet, where others may look to the source and date of payment to determine ownership.
The minimum time required to finalize a divorce varies by state. In some, like Oregon, it’s 30 days. Others, however, have a mandatory waiting period that exceeds six months. Washington Has a 90 Day Waiting Period In Washington, divorce takes at least 90 days. That’s the absolute minimum, but many take much longer. The 90-day clock starts when you or …
Paid by one parent to the other, child support is designed to help maintain and care for a child. A parent’s ability to pay also factors into the child support award. The court considers each party’s income and the children’s needs. This amount is called the basic support obligation.
If you make a big purchase while your divorce is pending, in some circumstances, under community property statutes, this may be included when it comes to the division of property. There are factors that will come into play in this ruling, like financing, where the funds to make the purchase originated, and what you actually bought.
Divorce hurts your credit. Especially if you don’t keep an eye on it and let your finances get out of hand. Luckily, there are things you can do now to rebuild your finances and protect your credit after finalizing your divorce.
What makes a good lawyer? What personality traits make up a good divorce attorney? We take a look at the good and the bad.
In family law, arbitration is an alternate dispute resolution (ADR). That’s a fancy way of saying it’s an alternative to the traditional method of going to court, presenting arguments, and having a judge rule. Arbitration is often faster, cheaper, and more convenient than going to trial.
There are many common mistakes people make in divorce as it concerns retirement. 1. Not knowing what you’re entitled to. 2. Not considering your ex’s Social Security benefits following divorce. 3. Choosing the house over other assets. 4. Raiding retirement savings. 5. Ignoring the tax implications of retirement benefits. 6. Not being aware of shared debt.
We like watching movies with dad, and we’ve compiled a list of great films to watch on Father’s Day, Halloween, Christmas, or just because.
It’s essential to put your best foot forward and portray yourself as a responsible, ideal parent. With that in mind, here are some dos and don’ts to help protect child custody and visitation.
Divorce requires the separation of more than just assets and debts. It also requires dealing with often overlooked items, like health insurance.
From a strictly legal standpoint, simply using marijuana recreationally shouldn’t negatively impact your custody claim. Think of marijuana use in terms of alcohol. And though it’s legal, it can still impact your case. If it compromises your ability as a parent, impairs your judgment, or use becomes a problem, it may pop up in court.
For most people, a house is the biggest purchase they ever make. This also makes it one of the main assets to divide during a divorce. Figuring out how to divide the marital home is often a close second in terms of conflict. (Child custody remains the frontrunner.) How Is A Home Treated in A Divorce? Dealing with real estate …
Like many documents, unless sealed by a court order, divorce records like divorce decrees and certificates are a matter of public record.
