Most often people are able to figure out how to get their case started and have served the other party, then they are left with when can we get this case done?

This will depend on the county you are filing in-
King and Pierce County issue case schedules that outline tasks to complete prior to the trial date
Others may require you to schedule a trial.

In all courts, no divorce can be completed before 91 days has passed.

If you are not in agreement with the other party, while the case is pending, you should be requesting temporary orders.
What you will be requesting will depend on what type of case you have filed.

There are several issues in a divorce that wouldn't be at issue in a parenting plan case.

Each require their own particular documents tailored specific to your situation. If you have a case pending that doesn't appear to be going anywhere, contact me to determine next steps.

'Til next time...

#Temporary#Court#Orders#Parenting#SpousalMaintenance#Alimony

I volunteer services every week and this is the biggest reason many have not even started, so let me just give you a small step to moving forward.

The first thing you have to determine is what county do you, the other party, and the children reside in. The case should be filed in the county the children reside in and if there are no children, then you can file in the county you reside in, although if you own property in the county the other party resides, I would suggest filing in that county. You will be filing in Superior Court for your appropriate county.

There are different methods for filing dependent on your county. Some examples are as follows;
In King County has the ability for you to set up your account and file documents online.
In Pierce County you have to contact the LINX coordinator to get an account set up to file documents online.
In Kitsap County you have to file in person.

You will have to check with the county you are filing in on how you are able to file and whether you are required to appear in person for court hearings or whether the court is operating through Zoom or another application.

Once you have determined your county and potentially have an account set up, it's time to determine documents you will need. All of the documents are available at https://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/?fa=forms.static&staticID=14

You won't necessarily need all of the documents under the Family Law title, but they are all there and are mandatory forms, so you are required to use them and the most up to date available forms will be there.

The court filing fee will be between $260-314 plus court fees. This is the initial fee that is required to be paid once you have uploaded your documents or taken them to the court house for filing. For in person, get a cashier's check or money order. The fee is the same in all Washington courts, no matter which county you file in.

If you need to request a waiver, go to the court house and request the waiver forms from the law library or clerk and complete, appear in Ex Parte and if approved, you will then be able to file your documents.

Most Every Case requires the following to get started;
-Confidential Information Form
-Petition
-Summons (when parties are not in agreement)

The type of Petition or Summons needed will depend on the type of case you are filing i.e.
Divorce
Establishing a Parenting Plan/Child Support

This is just to start the case, contact me if you need assistance. I will advise, draft, and file your documents for you.

Stay tuned for more information and guidance...

​#Petition#Divorce#Parenting#ChildSupport#Court#Familylaw