Washington State Family Law

• See the Complete list of Family Law Blogs.

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Washington State Courts
Understanding the Legal Implications of
Marriage and Divorce
in the State of Washington.
Family Law Handbook (2008) (pdf)

Washington State Court Directory (printable version - pdf)

In Washington State, a divorce is called a "dissolution of marriage."

What is a Marital Dissolution?

A marital dissolution is another word for divorce - it is a court action that you may file to end your marriage. In Washington, we use the word marital dissolution instead of "divorce." You may file a marital dissolution only if you are married. In most situations, if you are legally married according to the laws of the state or country in which you were married, your marriage will be recognized as legal in Washington.[2] Washington has "no fault" dissolution -- you do not need to prove that either spouse was "at fault" in order to get a divorce. Only one party needs to prove that there are irreconcilable differences (you can no longer get along with each other).

The court will grant a dissolution if you meet all the following:

• You are married either legally or through common law marriage in another state or country. Washington does not have common law marriage.

• You or your spouse are a resident of Washington, meaning you or your spouse live here and intend to remain here, or you are in the military and will be stationed here for at least 90 days after you file and serve the Petition for Dissolution.

• One spouse in the marriage believes that the marriage is irretrievably broken (the relationship can't be fixed).

• You file and serve the Summons and Petition for dissolution properly.

• At least 90 days have passed since the Petition for Dissolution was filed and served.

For more information see:

"General Information about Divorce"
(by: Northwest Justice Project)

Marital Dissolution with no Children in Washington State

The legal information in this publication is designed to help you learn about the laws that apply when you want to end your marriage (known as a "marital dissolution" or "dissolution of marriage") in Washington and you have no children. It will give you an overview of the law and help you decide what type of case you need to file in court.[*] This publication is intended for persons who want to file a dissolution of marriage (petitioner) or persons who have been served with dissolution of marriage papers (respondent).

Ending Your Marriage in Washington without Children: The Basics
(by: Northwest Justice Project)

If at all possible, you should meet with an attorney who specializes in family law before you file anything in court. If either you or your spouse has a lot of money or property, or you have been married a long time or your spouse is going to disagree with any part of what you are requesting, you should talk with an attorney before using our do-it-yourself publications. You may have rights, such as the right to a share of your spouse's pension or other property that you could lose if you do not present them properly in your dissolution case. Even if you cannot afford to hire an attorney to file your case, you should talk at least once with an attorney to get advice about your situation.

Washington State Court Rules

The Washington Rules of Court found on the Washington State Court's Internet site are current as of September 2008. Local Court rules, maintained online by the Washington State Courts, were updated in September 2008.

Washington State Court Forms

Here you will find forms that are used statewide in Washington Courts. This is not a complete list of all forms as your Court may require a non-statewide form to file a case, which are created and managed by the local Court. Please check with your local Court to confirm. You can also check Local Court Rules for more information.

• See the Complete list of Family Law Blogs.