Category Archives: Divorce
Deciding Between Divorce Mediation and Collaborative Divorce
Divorcing couples often feel “sticker shock” when they find out how much it can cost to end a marriage. These days, the cost of litigating a highly contested divorce involving children and property can easily reach six figures. This is one reason why many couples seek less expensive ways of ending their marriage, such as […]
Who Gets the Family Pet in a Divorce?
Pets are beloved family members in many households. In the event of a divorce, custody issues concerning the family pet can be highly emotional and contentious. While pets are still legally classified as property in Washington State, courts are increasingly departing from a traditional property analysis to determine which spouse should be awarded custody. Instead, […]
New Washington State Law Replaces Nonparental Custody with Legal Guardianship
Washington State recently adopted new legislation that allows an individual to request “minor guardianship” rather than file for nonparental custody. This new law changes the court process by which an individual can apply for legal guardianship of a child, but doesn’t affect nonparent custody cases in which a final order has been entered. Minor guardianship […]
Keeping Personal and Business Assets Separate Can Help Prevent a Messy Divorce
One of the most contentious issues in divorce is the division of marital assets. This can become even more complicated if one or both of the spouses has an ownership stake in a business. While several factors can affect whether a spouse is entitled to receive assets from a business owned by the other, there […]
Does Washington Have Any State or County Residency Requirement for Filing a Divorce?
In many states, petitioners must hold residency for a minimum of six months before filing for divorce. Washington is unique in that it imposes no such time period. However, there are certain other residency requirements for seeking a divorce here. State law requires that the petitioner (the spouse who is filing for divorce) be one […]
Your Remedies if You Suspect Your Spouse is Hiding Assets During Divorce
Washington is a community property state, which means that marital property is generally split 50/50 during a divorce. An important part of this equal division is gaining a complete financial picture of the assets and debts of both spouses. Failing to fully and honestly disclose finances during divorce proceedings is illegal but more common than […]
How Will a Child’s Preferences Be Weighed in Child Custody Determinations?
In a Washington divorce, custody and visitation arrangements are incorporated into a parenting plan, defining how each parent will be involved in the child’s rearing and where the child primarily will live. When the spouses are unable to agree on key aspects of a parenting plan, it may fall upon the court to intervene and […]
Limiting the Impact of Divorce Upon Your Business
As a business owner, you may have taken steps to protect your company from theft, security breaches, competitor threats and downturns in the market. But have you considered measures for protecting your business in the event of a divorce? With an estimated 40 to 50 percent of first marriages ending in divorce, and with even […]
Imputing Income to an Unemployed or Underemployed Spouse Owing Child Support
Although both parents have a legal duty to support their children after a divorce, it is usually the noncustodial parent (the parent who spends less than half their time with the child) who must pay support to the custodial parent. When calculating how much child support is owed, the courts determine the income level of […]
