Most people are familiar with the concept of common law marriage, but much of what people think they know is based on rumor rather than fact. For example, many people incorrectly believe that living together for a certain period of time is sufficient to establish a common law marriage. Common law marriages are a relic…
The process of getting a divorce takes months to complete. Couples going through a divorce may need to attend mediation sessions, court hearings, or depositions, which all take time. Even the simplest divorces must go through Washington State’s mandatory 90-day waiting period. During this time, it is not uncommon for one or both spouses to…
Annulments are a relatively rare way to end a marriage. While many people are familiar with how divorce or legal separation works, people who get an annulment are often confused about what their rights are after their marriage is over. In many ways, annulments are similar to a divorce. However, a divorce recognizes that a…
If money is tight, you may be looking for ways to pursue your divorce without a lawyer. Before you attempt to handle your divorce yourself, there are a lot of hidden costs to consider. A skilled attorney will help identify potential problems with parenting plans or financial arrangements that you and your spouse are considering.…
Child support can be paid either directly to the parent who is owed support, or indirectly to the state of Washington. When a judge approves a child support order, that order will state how the child support should be paid. Some parents prefer to have payments handled through the state, so that the receiving parent…
Many couples assume that a prenuptial agreement is unnecessary. When two people get married at a relatively young age, neither person may have the assets or career that would seem to warrant a prenup. However, as the marriage goes on circumstances may change, and you could end up dealing with a messy, expensive divorce. This…
Mediation and similar alternative dispute resolution techniques help many couples come to an agreement about difficult family law matters like child support or the division of assets and debts. When divorcing couples are willing to work together, they can often accomplish more in less time than if they had gone to court. In a high…
Marital debts, just like marital assets, are fairly divided between spouses during a divorce. Because Washington is a community property state, all income, property, and debts that either spouse acquires during the marriage belongs to the marital estate and must be split relatively equally between the spouses. The responsibility for a marital debt can be…
According to The Economist, the length of the average American marriage before divorce is eight years. In comparison, the standard length of a mortgage is thirty years. It’s no surprise then many mortgage contracts outlast the marriage of the people who signed them. In Washington State, any property that is acquired during the course of…