Everything You Need to Know About Washington State Divorce Laws

More than 782,038 divorces occur each year, and if you’re someone in the Washington State area that’s beginning divorce proceedings, you need to take some time to refresh yourself on the current divorce laws. Washington state divorce laws differ from other laws, and that’s why you want to know what they are before proceeding with your divorce.

Your debt is my debt.

When you’re married, you become one. This means that any financial burdens that are taken on during the marriage should be shared between both spouses. Washington State is better known as a community property state.

And what this means is that any debts, homes, investments, credit card debt, valuable art, and more will be split between you and your former spouse. This will be during the proceedings. If you don’t want the court to decide how everything will be divided, you can always take the time to come to an agreement to split everything, including your debts.

If you can’t come to an agreement, the court will split everything straight down the middle.

Your divorce will be a lengthy process.

You may find that your divorce doesn’t take as long as you would expect in some cases. But, your divorce may take anywhere from 3-6 months to complete when it comes to divorces in Washington state.

And being that the current state of the world, COVID-19, isn’t improving, it may take longer than usual for your divorce to take place from beginning to end.

Common-law is not recognized as marriage in Washington’s family law.

Some other states recognize common-law marriages as actual marriages. But, common-law marriage is not seen as marriage under the divorce laws in Washington state common law. But, you should know that if you and your partner have been living together and have a relationship that resembles a marriage, then your “marriage” can be dissolved in court.

Child support assignments and Washington state family law.

If you’re in a marriage where children are involved, the next step after your divorce proceedings will be deciding on child custody. Along with child custody, you’ll discuss child support payments as well.

Under the divorce laws in Washington state, you should be aware that even if you are not currently working, the courts can still order you to pay child support. The way it works is they will calculate what your potential to earn is and decide on your payments if they assign the parent that has no income to pay child support.

 In conclusion, stay proactive about Divorce and Family Law in Washington state.

When it comes to Washington state divorce laws, these are the things you need to know before beginning your divorce case. You’ll need to come to an agreement about the property you’ve acquired during your marriage, or the courts will decide for you.

Knowing the laws helps you to prepare the best that you can for court. If you’re looking for an expert in family law contact us, at Solutions Northwest Inc.

Solutions Northwest Inc. employs experts in personal injury, workers’ compensation, and family law. If you need our guidance, our legal experts are ready to guide you through the process.

Contact us today to make an appointment.

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