how much is a divorce lawyer in washington state

Full Answer

How much does a divorce cost in Washington State?

You may also need to pay for things like:

• Filing at your county courthouse (filing fees per state are listed on this page)
• Education classes on the divorce process or co-parenting
• Mediation (this can replace attorney fees or be in addition to attorney fees)
• Psychiatric evaluations for adults or children
• Refinancing a mortgage

How long does it take to divorce in Washington State?

Technically, a divorce in Washington State can be finalized 90 days after the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is filed and is signed by both spouses (or is signed by one spouse and served to the other spouse). However, many divorces take longer than 90 days to finalize due to a number of different factors.

How difficult is it to get a divorce in Washington?

Washington is a strict no-fault divorce state, so the only acceptable ground for divorce or separation is that your marriage is irretrievably broken. There's a mandatory waiting period of 90 days from the time you file until the judge can act on your case. Couples should use this time to negotiate the terms of the separation, including property ...

What are the requirements for divorce in Washington State?

• Last known state of residence of each party (last known county of residence if in Washington)
• Date and place of marriage
• Whether the parties are legally separated (and date of separation, if applicable)
• Names and ages of any dependent children, and whether a partner is pregnant
• Any domestic/residential arrangements made between the two parties

More items...

How much is a divorce in Washington?

How much does a divorce in Washington cost? The court filing fee is $280 for a dissolution of marriage (divorce). Other costs may include photocopying and delivery service fees. If you can not afford this fee, you may fill out a special form that will request the court to waive the filing fee.

Who pays for a divorce in Washington State?

In Washington State, each party is responsible for hiring and paying their own attorney, including any initial deposits as well as any subsequent bills. So this means that each spouse pays for the divorce based on their personal choice of attorney.

What is a wife entitled to in a divorce in Washington State?

Washington is a 50/50 divorce state. This means that almost all property, assets, and debts acquired during a marriage are subject to division in a divorce—regardless of who secured them. However, it does not mean that everything will be divided in half between spouses.

How much does an uncontested divorce cost in Washington State?

between $500 and $700How Much Does an Uncontested Divorce Cost in Washington State? Most uncontested divorces filed in Washington State cost between $500 and $700. You will also need to pay an additional court filing fee of around $300.

Does a husband have to support his wife during separation?

As for spousal support, common-law couples are entitled to spousal support after having lived together for three years, or if they have a child together, as long as the relationship was of some permanence. Married spouses are presumed to be immediately entitled to spousal support, if one spouse has the need for it.

Who gets the house in a divorce Washington?

One Party's Separate Property. Courts usually award each spouse his or her separate property and divide community property 50/50. Consequently, if the house is entirely one spouse's separate property, he or she almost always receives it unless the parties agree otherwise.

Does it matter who files for divorce first in Washington State?

If you are expecting a relatively simple and low-conflict divorce, it probably does not matter whether you or your spouse initially file for divorce. However, if you believe that your divorce may involve a contentious court case or custody battle, it could be slightly advantageous to file for divorce.

Who gets to stay in the house during separation?

Both spouses are allowed to live in the family home while they are separated, no matter who owns it. In theory, one spouse can't force the other out. A spouse who decides to leave can return whenever he or she wants to. It's better if the spouses can agree on who will stay in the home if they decide to separate.

Is WA A 50/50 custody State?

Instead, Washington State courts are required to make child custody determinations based on the best interest of the child. This standard may result in the court ordering a 50/50 parenting plan, but not necessarily.

Can I divorce without going to court?

An uncontested divorce is one in which you and your spouse work together to agree on the terms of your divorce. You will both consult with the same attorney, who will be unbiased and impartial. There is no formal trial, and only the plaintiff appears in court.

How long does a divorce take in Washington?

Technically, a divorce in Washington State can be finalized 90 days after the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is filed and is signed by both spouses (or is signed by one spouse and served to the other spouse). However, many divorces take longer than 90 days to finalize due to a number of different factors.

How long do you have to be separated before divorce in Washington State?

a 6 monthIf a legal separation is granted, there is then a 6 month waiting period before it can be potentially converted to a Decree of Dissolution, which can be done by filing a motion with the court.

How do I get a free divorce in Washington State?

Washington's official divorce and family law forms are available online at http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/. WashingtonLawHelp.Org. Free divorce and family law packets are available online at http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/issues/family-law.

How are assets divided in a divorce in Washington State?

A court in Washington State will usually a) award each party his or her own separate property and b) divide the net value of the parties' community property 50/50. This means the husband keeps what he brought to the marriage, the wife keeps what she brought, and the rest gets split between them equally.

How long do you have to be separated before divorce in Washington State?

a 6 monthIf a legal separation is granted, there is then a 6 month waiting period before it can be potentially converted to a Decree of Dissolution, which can be done by filing a motion with the court.

How is alimony determined in Washington State?

As a general rule of thumb, courts in Washington State award one year of alimony for every three or four years of marriage. There is no statute or case law explicitly stating this formula, but it is an oft mentioned rule and generally what courts can be expected to do.

How much does an uncontested divorce cost in Washington?

Most agreed divorce services in Washington State charge between $500 and $700 including the $300+ court filing fee.

What does "uncontested" mean in divorce?

We should begin by defining the term ‘uncontested’. In this context, uncontested means the parties (husband and wife) settle at the outset of the case. By way of further clarification, it does NOT simply mean the parties agree to a divorce. To be uncontested, the parties must reach agreement on EACH AND EVERY TERM AT THE DATE THE DIVORCE PETITION IS FILED. This is because an agreed petition (petition and joinder) delineates the terms of the settlement, such who receives what assets, who pays what debts, and the amount of alimony.

How much does it cost to get divorced in Washington?

Just to file for divorce in Washington, it costs roughly $350. (This includes fees for filing, a judicial surcharge, and court facilitator costs.) From there, you have to serve your spouse. If you hire a lawyer, they can handle that, likely for a fee, or you can use an outside process server.

What is included in divorce settlement?

Your settlement can also include stipulations that your ex must refinance loans to be in one name. In a perfect world, that’s what will happen.

What happens after divorce?

TaxesMany people often fail to consider the impact of taxes in post-divorce life. After finalizing your divorce, your filing status changes.

What forms are needed for divorce?

There are two forms that are required for every divorce: Confidential Information Form and a. Certificate of Dissolution – Vital Statistics form.

Do divorce costs last forever?

Though fees for paperwork, court appearances, and lawyers are the most obvious costs of divorce, none of them last forever. Once your divorce becomes official, these stop accumulating. Depending on your situation, a number of expenses continue long after you sign the divorce decree.

Do you live apart when you divorce?

By the time a divorce becomes final, most couples already live apart. But if you’re the one who moved out, setting up a new home base comes with its own set of costs. You have deposits, down payments, replacing furniture, stocking a new kitchen, and other costs incurred while setting up a new residency.

Do divorces require experts?

The cost of a complex divorce will be impacted by the necessity of experts. Many cases don’t require experts, but for those that do, it can be an expensive proposition.

Divorce-Related Fees in Washington State

There are several divorce-related fees in Washington State. A breakdown of the costs is provided in the table below:

The Basics of the Washington State Uncontested Divorce

Before filing for divorce in Washington, you should get acquainted with state laws, as explained in the list below:

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How long does it take to file a divorce petition in Washington?

When one partner in a marriage files a petition for divorce, the other party must file a response with the court. This must happen within 20 days if a respondent lives in Washington. If the person lives outside of Washing, then the deadline is 60 days.

How does marriage end in Washington?

Marriages or domestic partnerships in Washington can end through an annulment, legal separation or a divorce, also known as a dissolution of marriage. Washington is a no-fault state and one spouse or the other only needs to claim that a marriage is “irretrievably broken” to start the divorce process.

How to determine spousal support?

The key issues that are taken into consideration when determining spousal support include: 1 The length of the marriage. 2 The earning capacity of each spouse 3 The needs and standard of living of each spouse 4 Age and health of both spouses 5 Existing debts and assets 6 Child custody arrangements and whether or not the primary care spouse can hold a job while taking care of the children 7 Did one spouse help the other with education, career training or other ways to assist them in advancing their career

What is child custody in Washington?

Child Custody in Washington. Washington calls the court orders regarding children in a divorce “parenting plans” or “residential schedules.”. The terms custody and visitation are not used. Either parent can petition the court to enter a parenting plan.

What are the assets of a married couple?

Pensions, IRAs, 401Ks and Retirement Plans. Pensions, IRAs, 401Ks and retirement plans are probably the biggest assets that a married couple will have if they have been contributing to them consistently and for a long period of time. Just like any other asset in a divorce in Washington, they are considered community property.

What is the biggest stumbling block when it comes to dividing assets in Washington?

The other big stumbling block when it comes to dividing assets in Washington is when one spouse or the other claims that an asset is separate property instead of community property. This can lead to complicated disagreements.

Does a spouse's debt belong to both spouses in Washington?

Just as it is with assets in a community property state, in Washington any debts acquired by one or the other spouse during a marriage belong equally to both spouses. Debts that are incurred after a marriage or separation, or before a marriage or separation, only belong to the spouse who incurred them.

How long does it take to get divorced in Washington State?

8) Divorce Usually Takes a Year. Surprising law or fact number eight: it takes almost a full year for the average person to get divorced in Washington State. It’s a long process, a lot longer than most people think.

How fast can you get divorced in Washington?

The fastest a person can get divorced in Washington is 91 days. That’s true even if the parties agree to get divorced and agree on all the aspects of the divorce, such as who gets the kids and what property, how much child support should be, etc. Washington will not allow them to get divorced any faster than 91 days no matter what. Washington has what’s called a 90-day cooling-off period to make sure the parties truly want to be done with each other.

What is imputation in Washington?

The 12th and final surprising law on our list: Washington allows judges to impute a party who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed. This is for purposes of child support calculations, and sometimes for purposes of maintenance calculations and property division. “Imputation” means the court treats a party as if he or she has income, even when the party doesn’t truly have it. The most common example of imputation occurs when someone quits his or her job to make it look as if he or she is penniless and unable to pay child support. The court will deem that party as having the income he or she would have had, had he or she not quit.#N#Now that you’ve heard about imputation, you might say it makes perfect sense. But there are some very surprising ways courts have applied this doctrine.

What is the difference between a regular divorce and a committed intimate relationship?

That large difference is spousal maintenance (alimony). Judges in Washington will not award maintenance in the case of a dissolution of a committed intimate relationship.

What happens if a couple lives in Washington?

If a couple lives in Washington for years as if they were married, we deem them to have a committed intimate relationship. Washington will allow them to dissolve the relationship and divide their property almost as if the parties had been married.

Is legal separation the same as divorce?

In Washington, a legal separation is essentially the same as a divorce. It’s just a difference in terminology for most intents and purposes. Admittedly, there are some differences, and some of those differences can be significant for some people.

Can you serve divorce papers on the other spouse?

In other words, if someone is trying to serve divorce papers upon the other spouse, it’s okay for the spouse who’s being served to try to hide, run away, or otherwise avoid being served with the divorce documents. There’s no rule saying that you can’t try to avoid initial Service of Process.