Family Law and Divorce Litigation Attorneys
Litigation refers to resolving matters in court and negotiating settlements based on what a court is likely to do. As your advocates, our representation includes:
- Advocating for your rights and the best interests of your family to the court, opposing counsel, and other parties
- Appearing in court as your legal counsel and representative
- Seeking out and requesting all information needed to support your case
- Negotiating on your behalf with the other side
- Preparing all documents needed to secure temporary and final relief from the court or in settlement agreements
- All other services necessary to protect and represent your interests in your family law action
An important part of the process is helping you define your goals and helping plan the process for working toward those goals. Defining your goals is not just a matter of deciding what results you hope for, but of talking about what is realistic, what your priorities are, and what is best going to secure your future.
Advocacy is not only about going to court, but also involves negotiating outside of court. When we can negotiate a solution rather than go to court, you have a great deal more control over the outcome, both in terms of making sure it is acceptable to you and in terms of fine-tuning the details to fit your situation.
Why You May Need a Seattle Divorce Litigation Attorney
Litigation is essentially a process where a judge oversees your divorce. The process is adversarial, which means that the divorcing spouses are considered to have opposing interests. While the resolution may include some compromise, the court is required to follow the law. As a result, litigation typically allows for less flexibility than other potential remedies.
For this reason, many clients are extremely intimidated by the prospect of litigation. We do our best to avoid going to court, but sometimes it is necessary. Court isn’t a purely negative option – litigation can help resolve challenging issues that spouses cannot resolve on their own.
Generally speaking, divorcing spouses often have difficulty working together or seeing things eye-to-eye. If your divorce involves one of the following situations, a Seattle divorce litigation attorney can help:
- Your spouse is being unreasonable. Divorce is an emotional process, and these emotions can reveal themselves in unexpected ways. Your spouse’s feelings may be clouding their ability to see the issue clearly or arrive at a reasonable solution.
- You and your spouse are unable to cooperate. Cooperation can be extraordinarily difficult if your divorce is particularly acrimonious. If you are unable to work together to find a mutually agreeable outcome, litigation may be your only option for getting through the divorce process.
- Your case involves complex issues. Sometimes divorce cases need to go to litigation simply because the parties lack the knowledge and skill to resolve them on their own. For example, if you own a business or some unique assets, issues can arise regarding determining what they may be worth during the divorce. Litigation provides both sides an opportunity to introduce evidence supporting their position to be evaluated by a neutral third party.
An experienced Seattle divorce litigation lawyer can help you through the process and work to see that you get a fair result.
Understanding Washington’s Litigation Process
Most people don’t realize that every divorce begins with a lawsuit in which one party must file a petition with the court asking for a divorce. If the other spouse does not contest the divorce, the process can proceed smoothly. If there are disagreements over custody or division of property, then the process becomes “contested,” meaning that the issues may eventually have to be resolved at trial.
What many people don’t realize is that you can settle your case at almost any time. Furthermore, some jurisdictions may require the parties to attempt to resolve their issues via arbitration or mediation. As a result, entering into the litigation process does not mean that you must proceed to trial. In fact, the vast majority of divorce cases are resolved without a trial.
Litigation can be time-consuming. It may take as long as a year to get to trial from the date you first file your petition. It can also be expensive. For these reasons, we consider litigation to be your last resort if all other options have failed. That said, as seasoned divorce litigators, we are fully prepared to litigate your case if necessary.
Contact a Litigation Attorney Today for a Low Stress Resolution to Your Family Law Matter
We encourage you to take a look at our litigation attorney profiles to find the best fit for your needs. If you are unsure of what to ask or how to look for the right divorce attorney, contact us and we’ll be happy to help match you with the right attorney for your situation.
