If there is no chance of reconciling your marriage, then you might want to file for a divorce in Washington. While the process can be difficult, there are some steps that you can follow that can help to ensure that it’s done correctly and legally.
Filing
The first thing that you want to do is file a petition for divorce. This is done whether or not both parties agree to the divorce as only one person has to initially file. Details in the petition must include that one spouse satisfies the residency requirements in the state and that there is a legal reason to file.
Court orders
There could be court orders that you need to file while your divorce is being processed. These include child support, child custody, and alimony. Keep in mind that these orders are subject to change once the court gathers more facts about the people and details involved.
Service
Once the petition has been filed for divorce, you need to provide proof that your spouse has been served with the document. You have a certain length of time to serve your spouse with the documents before a judge can finalize the case. If both parties are in agreement, then this step usually doesn’t take long to complete. However, if your spouse objects, then it could delay the proceedings as your spouse can issue a response or simply not sign the document.
Trial
If things become difficult during the divorce process, then you might have to go to court so that a judge can issue orders and set amounts for things like child support and alimony.
Divorce might not be pleasant to think about, but there are steps that need to be followed in order for it to be correctly carried out.
