Getting a Divorce in the state of Washington

It takes only one party to a marriage to state that the marriage is “irretrievably broken”, and that person will be granted a divorce. The other party cannot stop it. All a person has to say is that their marriage is “irretrievably broken.” Those are the magic words. There are no reasons needed to obtain a divorce in Washington State.

No-fault dissolutions or divorces, (ones that do not require a reason for a divorce) are the only type of dissolution actions that exist in the state of Washington. No one can “contest” or stop the dissolution of his or her marriage if the other spouse requests it.

Unfortunately, that is just one aspect of a dissolution action.

The property of the couple must be divided, spousal maintenance established, custody established, visitation rights determined, child support established, bills divided, pensions, retirements, and 401Ks divided, which is the basis for the great financial disputes that arise in these actions. It is these areas that cause the most bitter financial disputes among husbands and wives. If there are children, the dispute over a residential schedule can be even more bitter.

Mr. DiPietro will explain your rights in each of these areas so you will have a complete understanding as to what you can or cannot anticipate.