When you and your spouse file for divorce, how much of your case information is secret? Who has access to your information and what type of access do they have? In general, most court proceedings and records are open to the public. Anyone can attend a hearing in open court, and court records are available…
Going to court can be an intimidating experience, especially when you are not sure what to expect. For many people, attending a hearing in a divorce case is the first time that they will ever enter a courtroom, and the prospect can be scary. If you are attending a hearing, learning more about the process…
Everyone is on their best behavior in front of a judge. For many people in the process of a divorce, it can be frustrating to see a spouse act civilly in court but turn nasty in private. To show the judge the way your spouse acts in private, can you record your conversations? While recorded…
A divorce case starts when one spouse files or serves the initial divorce petition. Once the petition is filed, the other party must be served with a copy of the petition as well as a summons which informs the person of the amount of time he or she has to file a response. If the…
Even when a marriage is on the rocks, many people still do not want to get divorced. If you are ready to move on from your marriage, but your spouse won’t sign the paperwork, what are your options? The Initial Petition When a person refuses to sign the initial petition asking for a divorce, his…
Every parent wants to spend as much time as possible with his or her children. In Washington State, parenting time is usually split equally between two parents unless a judge finds that one parent’s time should be restricted based on certain limiting factors. Washington State statutes outline circumstances when a judge may decide to limit…
Sometimes a couple realizes that their marriage is not working and decides to file a joint petition for divorce. In other cases, one spouse may be unaware that the other is filing for divorce until he or she is served with the paperwork. But what happens if each spouse files his or her own petition…
In Washington State, couples who are engaged to be married have the option of creating a prenuptial agreement. This agreement is a contract between the couple that determines what will happen if they get divorced. A prenuptial agreement can be used to pre-determine the amount of spousal support provided (known as alimony in other states)…
All divorces take time. In Washington State, a divorce must take at least three months because there is a mandatory 90-day waiting period before the divorce can be finalized. Many divorces last much longer, especially if there are conflicts over children or the division of property. As time goes on, anything can happen. If a…