At What Age Can My Child Decide Where To Live?

We regularly get asked at what age can a child decide which parent she or he will live with. I was asked this again just the other day. Frequently, the person asking is under the impression that a child can make their own decision after they turn 12; I am not sure where this persistent rumor comes f...
Stopping the Coronavirus - Can I divorce during a COVID-19 Lockdown?

Can I Divorce During COVID-19 Lockdown?

Many people are going to be wondering what their options are if their marriages are deteriorating under the stress of these difficult times. We have been warned to expect a spike in couples seeking to divorce due to the pressures brought on by COVID-19. But is divorcing even possible during a cor...
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...
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...
Scales of Justice and Handshake - Better Divorce Litigation

Better Divorce Litigation

At Seattle Divorce Services, it has always been a goal to find ways to do things better. That includes our bread and butter - divorce litigation. What does 'better divorce litigation' mean? How can we strive for improvement? Better litigation means tailoring the approach to fit the case, NOT s...
Managing Conflict in Divorce Litigation - sometimes down to a phone call. Seattle Divorce Services

Managing Conflict In Divorce Litigation

While we believe in exploring opportunities for alternative dispute resolution in our cases, often we do need to litigate (proceed with court process) for one reason or another. Litigation IS an adversarial process. Still, even in litigation, we prefer to reduce conflict rather than escalate it....
Man counting money

Can I Have My Spouse Pay For Both Divorce Attorneys?

If your spouse agrees to pay for both divorce attorneys, certainly it is possible. Some attorneys may be reluctant to accept payment from the other spouse, citing conflict of interest concerns, but I would expect most would be okay with it. Even if the attorney does not want to take direct paymen...
Chalk heads with question marks

Questions For Your Attorney About Divorce

Last week I discussed questions to help you decide which attorney to hire. This week, I wanted to suggest some questions to ask to help you be better informed about the divorce process itself and to help you make decisions about the divorce....
Stop sign next to road

Can You Stop A Divorce After Filing?

At least here in Washington, and I imagine in any state, you can stop a divorce action before the divorce has been finalized if both parties agree to the dismissal. A dismissal ends the case so that the divorce does not move forward. Also, if the other party has responded to the Petition for Diss...
Woman on laptop

Can We Divorce Without A Lawyer?

It certainly is possible in Washington State to divorce without a lawyer, although as a lawyer I need to clarify that I do not recommend it. I have had clients spend a lot of money trying to undo mistakes they made writing their own court orders (remember the old car care commercial "Pay me now, or...
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