Do It Yourself Dissolution

Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2015 by Pivotal Law Group

While it may be strange for the first family law post on this blog to be about how you may not need a lawyer at all, the truth is that many people are able to handle their divorce on their own.

All of the forms that are needed to start and finish a divorce can be found online at www.courts.wa.gov. If you look under Self-Help Resources, you will find templates for all the forms you will need.

Whenever someone is starting a divorce they need to file a Petition for Dissolution, a Confidential Information Form, and a Summons. Once these are filed with the clerk you will receive a case schedule (at least in King County – other counties vary in their practices). This will set forth all of the deadlines in a case.

If your case is agreed – meaning that you and your spouse agree on all the terms of the divorce – you can largely disregard the schedule. All that you will have to do is wait the requisite 90 days before finalizing (a process I will discuss in another post). You can find the forms needed to finalize on the court’s site as well, which include the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, Decree of Dissolution, and Orders of Child Support or Parenting Plans if applicable.

Many people are able to complete this process on their own, but you may still want to consult with an attorney if you have questions about the forms or some of the finer points of the divorce process.

If you have any questions, please give Brian Edwards a call at (206) 805-1498 or email him at b.edwards@pivotallawgroup.com.

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharynmorrow/2248827161/.