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Uncontested Washington Divorce Process and All Important Information You Need

Divorce is difficult not just for adults, but also for the children who are involved. However, your Washington state divorce can be easier and polite if you and your spouse are open for the communication and retain control over the decision making process rather than leaving everything on the trial judge.

When divorcing couple agree on most of the terms of their divorce, they can opt for uncontested divorce. This kind of divorce is beneficial in many ways. Along with retaining your peace of mind, you can still have cool relationship with your spouse and children will also not get affected too far. The cost of this divorce is lower as compared to the one that is taken to the trial court.

A general idea of uncontested divorce in Washington State

Uncontested divorce is much less expensive than contested ones, no matter whether you have children or not. These divorces are usually referred as divorces by agreement in Washington because the couple agrees to most of the terms of divorce. The couple must also agree on child custody and child support issues if child is involved.

If you disagree on any of the issues related to divorce, your divorce will be a contested one. This means that you will have to go to the trial judge to sort out of the details of your divorce. Issues on which couples should agree when opting for uncontested divorce are:

  • Child support and insurance coverage
  • Child custody and visitation agreements
  • Spousal support or alimony, if needed
  • Division of property and debts
  • Solution on any other issue related to your marriage

How to initiate Washington state divorce

To opt for uncontested divorce in Washington State you should meet the follow criteria:

  • You or your spouse must be residing in Washington state currently
  • You must know the current address of your spouse
  • You and your spouse agree on all the issues of divorce

If you meet the above criteria, you can proceed with filing for uncontested divorce. The one who files the initial paperwork is called the petitioner and he or she has to inform the respondent about the initial process.

The main eligibility criterion for filing for divorce in Washington State is that you should be residing in the state at the time of filing for divorce. Unlike other states you do not need to be residing in the state for a specific period of time.

You are also allowed to file for divorce without the assistance of a divorce attorney. In this case you will be responsible for filing for divorce in the right court. Naturally, you will file the divorce paperwork in the county where you live in or in the county where your spouse lives in.

Preparing and submitting the divorce forms

If you are filing for uncontested divorce in Washington State, you can complete the form that is available online or get a hard copy from the local courthouse. The required paperwork varies from county to county. So, check with your local court to find whether you need additional files or not.

Know About The Laws in Which You Can Get a Washington State Divorce

In the United States of America the divorce laws differ from one state to another. If you are living in Washington D.C then you will need to follow the state laws in order to get a divorce. So it may happen that you can be unaware of all the divorce laws enforced by the State of Washington. There are too many complicated legal process involved in divorce. However if you can get hold of an attorney who is experienced with the Washington divorce laws thoroughly, then it can be a cake walk for you to get a divorce. The best place to search for a good attorney is the Washington Divorce Online. This is a web based company that provides services to people who are seeking divorce in the state of Washington. The expert attorneys at Washington Divorce Online help you to register online and then submit your documents in the court for the dissolution of marriage. Whether you are contesting the marriage or having a mutual one with your spouse, the attorneys will helps you in filing for your divorce and get an annulment fast without wasting anymore of your time and money.

The attorneys would also let you know that if you are thinking of annulling your relationship with your common law partner, then the State of Washington does not recognize that as marriage. In order to get a Decree of Dissolution from Washington State you have to be legally married. However, the State recognizes domestic partnership and if you wish to end then you need to go to the court and undergo the similar process of divorce. There are a few situations that are not recognized by the Washington State divorce laws. These are:

  • IF a person gets married without annulling his first marriage then the second marriage will not be recognized as legal.
  • People marrying within family or close relatives will not be considered as legally married.

Grounds for divorce in the State of Washington

The State of Washington is a “no-fault divorce” state. This means that you do not need to prove or blame your spouse on some guilt and file for a divorce. According to the law of the state, if one of the spouses declares that the marriage is not working and it is broken then they can move to the court for the annulment of the marriage and a decree will be granted for the same. The spouses can make a petition online with the Washington State Divorce Online website.

While applying online for the divorce, the person will be asked a series of questions regarding his or her marriage. The questions have to be replied online. After the session if over, the attorney at Washington Divorce Online will help the person in preparing the documents for the petition. The person then can move to the court and submit the petition for the annulment of the marriage. It is simple and easy; however, taking the help of a professional will help you save money and also from making any mistake.