Divorce in Tacoma Washington

Tacoma WA Divorce Lawyers

Deciding to file a divorce petition in the state of Washington is a big step, and most people recognize this and do everything possible to work things out between one another before coming to the conclusion that getting a divorce is their best option. However, it is important for people who are having marital difficulties to fully recognize that the divorce is not necessarily all about the couple themselves. It is also going to impact the children a great deal, and to a lesser extent, the rest of the extended family such as grandparents and other relatives. Economically, the quality of life of all concerned will probably decline in the wake of a divorce. So all of these factors need to be carefully considered before making that final decision and filing for divorce.

If you do decide that divorce is the only option after weighing all of the factors involved, you can file for what is called a “dissolution of marriage” in the state of Washington. This term has supplanted the word “divorce” in the legal parlance of the state. In many states, divorces are granted on either a fault or a no-fault basis, but Washington differs in this regard. A dissolution of marriage can be sought when the marriage has been deemed “irretrievably broken” by one or both former partners, and there is no  provision for citing any culprit or placing any blame. This approach is intended to foster a dynamic between divorcing couples that can remain amicable and engender a cooperative spirit moving forward, and this is especially important when there are children involved.

Residency requirements for filing for a dissolution of marriage in the state of Washington are minimal; anyone seeking the dissolution must simply reside in the state at the time that they file the petition. The court imposes a 90 day waiting period from the time that the responding spouse has replied to the petition before the final Decree of Dissolution of Marriage can be signed by the court. This waiting period has been established as minimal interim to give the couple some time to be sure that they want to go through with the dissolution of marriage, However, finalization of the Decree can take considerably longer when the terms of the dissolution of marriage are being contested.

Anyone who is going through a divorce should always retain the services of an experienced Tacoma WA family attorney.