Articles | Seattle Divorce Services

Does Hiring A Lawyer Increase The Odds of Going to Trial?

There is a common belief that hiring a divorce lawyer increases your chances of going to trial. Actually, we believe just the opposite. We have seen many people representing themselves end up at trial because they did not know how to prepare for settlement discussions or how to negotiate effectively...

Can I Do My Divorce Without a Lawyer?

Yes, you can do all of your divorce without a lawyer, though the paperwork and rules can be intimidating, and it is easy to make costly mistakes. The state has published standard forms for doing it yourself (and lawyers are required to use the same forms). However, if you do find that you need help,...

Should I Use My Regular Attorney For My Divorce?

Today's legal landscape is one of increasing specialization. Lawyers working in a particular area of the law need to be familiar with the statutes, the case law, the court rules, and even the unwritten rules in their area of practice. In some small towns, lawyers still have to be generalists because...

DOMA Struck Down!

We applaud the recent Supreme Court decision striking down the Federal law discriminating against same sex married couples. Some states (like Washington) have now passed laws legalizing same-sex marriage, and where those states have granted married status to residents of those states, the Federal g...

Are Consults Free?

Some lawyers do offer free consults to get people in the door. At Seattle Divorce Services, we believe in charging a reasonable but reduced fee for the initial consultation, and then giving good value for that fee. We don't rush you out the door because the time allotted for the consult is up -- we...

Telling Your Kids

Kate Scharff has written an excellent article "Telling Your Kids About the Split: The Six Most Common (Well-Intended) Mistakes". In it she makes some great points. I often have clients who are trying to figure out the best way to tell their children they are getting divorced. I usually recommend...

When Should I See a Divorce Lawyer?

If you think you may be heading towards a divorce, it is never too early to talk to a divorce lawyer. Even if you are not ready to start the divorce itself, it is a good idea to get some information about what to expect. That includes what the process will look like, the kinds of documentation and o...

Differing Definitions of Mediation

Mark Baer wrote recently in a Huffington Post article "What Does Mediation Really Mean?" about how the definitions of Mediation mean different things to different people, and how the vagueness that creates can be confusing to the client. He refers to three different forms of mediation that all get l...

Child Specialists, Parenting Evaluators, and Parenting Coordinators

The use of these terms may vary significantly across the country, and even in the Seattle area their use may vary, but I wanted to describe three fairly different roles that can be useful in different ways in cases involving children....

Does My Ex Get Custody of Our Child if I Die?

I was recently asked whether a parent could provide in her will for who would take care of her child if that parent died. She was concerned that the child's father was not up to adequately caring for the child. I had to let her know despite any provisions in a will, the other parent would normally b...