No one wants to think about divorce before they are even married, but a prenuptial agreement can protect both parties if the marriage doesn’t work out. While most people think in terms of either being married or divorced, Washington divorce attorneys understand there may be significant periods of separation. If…
Articles Posted in Divorce
Failure to Identify Property for Distribution Before Washington Divorce Trial
In any divorce, it is important for the parties to identify all of the assets they want to be considered and divided. While all of the property is before the court for distribution in a divorce, the court can only distribute those assets of which it is aware. If the…
Sale of the Family Home in Washington Divorce
Often, the family home is one of the more difficult assets to address in a divorce. Even if both parties agree to sell the home, the process can still be difficult. In a recent unpublished case, a Washington appeals court determined whether the sale of a home was “imminent,” as…
Long-Term Marriage Does Not Automatically Result in Roughly Equal Distribution of Assets in Washington Divorce
Washington courts are to consider several factors when determining property distribution in a divorce. Those factors include the nature and extent of community property and of separate property, the duration of the marriage, and the financial circumstances of the parties. Thus, although the court characterizes property as community or separate,…
Untimely Petition for Postsecondary Education Support in Washington Divorce
Under Washington law, courts may order postsecondary support for children in some circumstances, but as a recent case reminds us, it is not automatic. Parents must be sure they understand the child support order and follow any deadlines for filing the petition for postsecondary support. It is important that parents…
Complexities of Washington Divorce Involving Division of a Business
Divorces can be very complicated when a valuable business is part of the community property. The party who keeps the business may be unable to pay their spouse’s share immediately, resulting in long-term property distribution payments and interest. A Washington appeals court recently addressed these issues in the unpublished case…
Contempt of Court for Property Damage in Washington Divorce
Emotions run high during divorce, and sometimes unfortunately the parties will try to hurt each other. When a party to a divorce intentionally damages property or wastes the couple’s assets, the other party may seek a remedy through the court. In the recent case of In re Marriage of Fellows,…
Waste, Separate Property, and Deviation from the Standard Calculation in Washington Divorce
High-asset divorces are very complex and difficult matters. It is not uncommon for one party to allege the other has either wasted or hidden assets. Additionally, the standard calculation may not be an equitable way to determine the appropriate amount of support, so the court has some discretion to deviate…
The One Page of Paper that Can Make Your Meeting with a Family Law Attorney More Valuable
Everyone can relate to the experience of walking into the grocery store without a shopping list and leaving the store without what you went in for, having spent lots of money on things you didn’t need. Notes aren’t only important for grocery shopping. They can help keep meetings on task,…
5 Common Child Support Myths in Washington State
Myth 1: You don’t have to pay child support if you have a 50/50 parenting plan. Fact: While it is true that in some cases with 50/50 parenting plans there will be no transfer payment of child support from one parent to the other, in many 50/50 cases, especially those…