Spousal support, maintenance, and alimony are terms used to describe a court order for one spouse to pay a certain sum of money to the other spouse on a routine basis. A spousal support order can be temporary in duration, in that it lasts only as long as the divorce proceedings are pending. A spousal…
There are two basic ways that you can establish paternity in the state of Washington. Parents of a child who are unmarried can sign an Affidavit of Paternity, which is a document that legally establishes paternity for the child under Washington law. The Affidavit is sent to the Washington State Department of Health, which then adds the…
Mediation is a means of resolving all issues related to the parties’ divorce by agreement. It is an alternative to going to trial to resolve disputed claims. Most courts in Washington require the parties to mediate before going to trial, so you need to know what to expect and how to prepare. In divorce mediation, a mediator,…
Whether you can remove your child from the state of Washington without the others parent’s knowledge depends on the court ordered parenting plan. If your plan says you have to have permission or give notice to travel to another state, then you have to ask permission. If the parenting plan doesn’t say anything regarding travel…
In every type of lawsuit, including divorces, you are required to serve the other party with notice of the proceedings by personally serving him or her with documents concerning the lawsuit. In some cases, however, you may not be able to personally serve his or her spouse after making several attempts to do so. In other cases, you…
In the state of Washington, almost 9 out of 10 child custody cases get settled by the parents themselves. That leaves only 2% for the court to determine and about 10% decided by default. Out of those cases, in about 60% of them, neither parent sought legal representation. How do you know when it is time to…
Talk to a Lawyer about Your Family Law Situation It’s understandable if you’re hesitant to talk to a lawyer about your case. Obtaining a lawyer is a big decision. You may not even be sure if you need one. But anyone facing a family law issue should at least have an attorney review their case.…
For the most part, divorce records are public records under Washington law. For example, you can order a certified copy of a divorce certificate from the Washington Department of Health for any divorce that took place in the state of Washington. If you request a divorce certificate in person or by mail, you must pay…
There are several different options for enforcing a child support order that are allowable under federal and state law. When a parent has a court order to pay child support and fails to pay as ordered, the consequences can be quite severe. Many of these enforcement techniques negatively affect a non-paying parent’s career opportunities. The…