Articles | Seattle Divorce Services

Conflict in Divorce

Here's an interesting quote from a cover letter and resume we received recently: "Aggressive litigation is not necessarily the most efficient or emotionally appropriate forum for people going through the trauma of dissolution." Did you think you would ever hear that kind of statement from an attorne...

Positive Consequences

In legal matters we often impose negative consequences to change behavior. However, using positive consequences may in many cases work better. Basically, a negative consequence is a punishment, while a positive consequence is a reward....

Do I Need a Lawyer to Get a Divorce?

While the short answer is no, you can get divorced without an attorney, the long answer is that having a lawyer can make a big difference. In a typical divorce there are many decisions to be made that will have significant impacts on you and your children for years to come. A lawyer can help you thi...

What is a PostNuptial Agreement?

A postnuptial agreement is an agreement made between a couple after marriage about what will happen if the couple divorces or one of them dies."Postnuptial" simply means "after marriage". Andrea Vacca wrote a good article on postnuptial agreements in New York, and much of what she wrote is applicabl...

Same Sex Marriage in Washington

We were extremely happy to see same sex marriage passed by the voters in Washington State! It is just basic fairness - adults who love each other should be able to marry. There is no reason to discriminate against some couples because of their gender preferences. I saw a post by Carol Betts, a fr...

Meet Mark Alexander

Mark Alexander has worked at Seattle Divorce Services since 2006, but has been practicing law since 1979. When he is not practicing law, Mark enjoys photography, music, kayaking, and watching college football and basketball. Every year he tries to get the rest of the office to follow the March M...

What is Collaborative Divorce?

Collaborative Divorce is a method for managing conflict without a third party decision maker. We seek to help the parties handle their conflict without causing further damage to the relationship, and to help them transition their spouse/partner relationship into a new form of relationship, particula...

How to Find the Right Divorce Lawyer

Divorce is scary enough, but finding the right divorce lawyer to help you through the process can be even more stressful. Here are a few tips and considerations:...

Stages of Readiness for Divorce

Typically at the beginning of a divorce, the two spouses are at very different stages of readiness for the divorce process. There is usually one spouse that we characterize as the "Leavor". This is the one who has been contemplating the divorce for some time and is now letting the other spouse know...

What is Fair?

Very often clients say "I just want what is fair." That is a great thought, but the problem is that there can be big differences in what people view as fair. At a conference I attended last week, we discussed four different theories of fairness....