who stays in the house after divorce

Who Stays In The House After Divorce?

Often at the beginning of a divorce, one party chooses to move out because they no longer want to be living with the other person. This can impact later claims that they should be the person awarded the house in the divorce, as the courts tend to lean towards the least disruptive solutions: i.e. le...
collaborative divorce teams can help settle a divorce out of court

Can Divorce Be Settled Out Of Court?

It may surprise people to learn that most divorces are actually settled out of court. Only when the parties are not able to reach an agreement does the case move on to a trial. My general estimate has been that maybe 2-3% of divorce cases actually go to trial. There are a number of methods for se...
Judge Signing Paper - When is My Divorce Final?

When Is My Divorce Final?

In Washington State, a divorce is final as soon as the court signs the Decree of Dissolution. The whole divorce process generally takes anywhere from 3 months to a year, and there is a minimum 90-day waiting period after the divorce has been filed and served. If the case needs to go to trial, the...
How to tell them I want a divorce - woman thinking near window

How Do I Tell My Spouse I Want A Divorce?

Every couple is different, so you may want to talk to a family counselor for advice about handling about your specific situation, but here are some general guidelines:...
open book of knowledge - Seattle Divorce Services explains what a no-fault divorce is

What Is A No-Fault Divorce?

It is not uncommon for people to come into our office wanting to know what grounds they need to get divorced. They might say, "My spouse has not had an affair or been abusive, but I just don't want to be married anymore. Can I still get divorced?" We explain that Washington is a no-fault state,...
What is an Uncontested Divorce - researching in a book - Seattle Divorce Services

What Is An Uncontested Divorce?

"Uncontested Divorce" is a phrase one hears a lot, but it means different things to different people. Some people simply mean a divorce where both parties have agreed to divorce; while others mean that the parties have informally agreed upon the terms of the divorce, and some just mean that they ex...
How do tI get my Spouse to sign the divorce papers? - Seattle Divorce Services

How Can I Get Someone To Sign Divorce Papers?

This question can refer to two very different sets of divorce papers. One is the initial papers filing for divorce, and one is the final order completing the divorce; and of course, I am only discussing this from the perspective of divorce in Washington State. The law in other states or countries m...
Is litigation necessary in divorce? - Seattle Divorce Services

When Is Litigation Needed In Divorce?

Litigation is the process of submitting issues to the court for decision. While we believe that our clients are better off when we can keep conflict to a minimum and help our clients reach agreements out of court, sometimes litigation is needed. Litigation is generally needed if one side is unwi...
Woman on

Can I Afford To Divorce In This Housing Market?

Over the last couple years, Seattle has seen an extreme rate of growth in housing prices. Right now we are leading the nation in housing price growth. While this may be good for sellers and landlords, it is making it harder and harder for buyers and renters. One impact is that some people in the ar...