Washington

Marriage & Family Law Home

How Does Alimony Work?

In the state of Washington, a maintenance order, or an alimony agreement, is based on a spouse’s duty to support the other after divorce when dependency has been established. ....... Click here to get more info on Alimony

What are the Conditions to Modify an Order for Child Support?

An order of child support may be modified one year or more after it has been entered without a showing of substantially changed circumstances if:

• the order creates an economic hardship on either party or the child



• a party requests adjustment in an order for child support that was based on guidelines that determined the amount according to the child's age, and the child is no longer in the age category on which the current support amount was initially based on



• a child is still in high school after age 18, and there is a need to extend support to complete high school



• To add an automatic adjustment that follows RCW 26.09.100.

If 2 years have passed from the date of entry of the order or the date of the last adjustment/modification to the order, the order can be adjusted without showing substantially changed circumstan ....... Click here to get more info on Child Support

How does Custody Work, and What Factors are Considered in a Custody Proceeding?

The child's residential schedule shall be consistent.

The court will consider the following factors in determining custody:

• The child's relationship with each parent



• The consenting agreements of the parties involved



• Each parent's overal ....... Click here to get more info on Custody

What are the Conditions for Divorce?

Washington law only provides for no fault divorces. ....... Click here to get more info on Divorce

How are Visitation Rights Requested?

Washington law states that a biological parent of a minor child may request visitation rights as part of an open divorce, parentage or custody case or may file a petition for visitation in none of these circumstances apply.

The court will decide a request for visitation based on whether granting a parent visitation would be in the "best interests of the child."

What is considered in a child's "best interests" is outlined under the custody and visitation statute which indicate the following factors are relevant to this type of decision:

• The parent's’ and child’s wishes as to custody



• The interaction and relationship between the child and both parents, any siblings, and any other person who significantly affects the child's best interests



• The child's adjustment to ....... Click here to get more info on Visitation

How is Property Division Handled?

In Washington, marital property, or property acquired during the marriage, is distributed equally (50-50) to each party unless the court finds such a division to be inequitable or parties agree to a different formula under which to divide property. ....... Click here to get more info on Property Division