Considering Divorce in the State of Washington?

It is one of the most impactful decisions you will ever make, especially if there are minor children in the home.  Please give it careful consideration.  In Washington state divorce is officially called “dissolution of marriage”.  Note that common law marriage is not recognized by the court system.  However, it is important to note that a court may divide up property acquired during a relationship when it finds that the partners have lived in a quasi-marital situation.  Marriage between partners of the same sex is recognized in Washington, as are Domestic partnerships.  Either may be dissolved with the same process as a marriage dissolution.

Here is some of what you may expect.  The court will consider all of the family’s liabilities as well as its assets, whether owned separately or acquired during the marriage as community property.  Their task is to be “fair and equitable,” which does not necessarily translate into “equal”.  One of the spouses (partners) may be required to pay maintenance (alimony).  And perhaps most importantly, the dependent children will have residency and visitation decisions made on their behalf.

All of this is stressful enough.  To go into the process without a trained veteran family law lawyer on your side is just plain folly.  In the Seattle area the right choice is Bellevue, WA divorce attorney Lyle M. Clark Jr.  For more than 35 years he has dealt with all matters of Washington state family law.  Begin this important process in your life by calling Lyle at (425) 452-3092.

Defining the Term Divorce in the State of Washington.

Since 1973 the State of Washington has not used the word divorce to describe the legal process for ending a marriage.  The Washington State legislature adopted the Marriage Dissolution Act, which was designed to eliminate the concept of fault from marital proceedings.  The Act abolished the need to prove fault as the grounds for terminating a marriage and did away with the concept of alimony in favor of spousal maintenance.

Marriage dissolution is essentially the same thing as divorce except that “fault” also has no bearing on the division of property or the award of maintenance.  If a marriage is irretrievably broken, then there are grounds for the dissolution of marriage.  If, however, one of the parties desires to contest the dissolution, he or she can petition the court for conciliation, which is in effect forced marriage counseling through the Family Court.

Understanding divorce law in the Evergreen state can be a complicated matter.  You need the expertise of a veteran Seattle family attorney like Lyle M. Clark, Jr.  Attorney Clark will put his more than three decades of experience with the law to work for you to make sure that your side is represented aggressively.  Call Lyle Clark and make an appointment at his Bellevue office right away at (425) 452-3092.

What are the Fault Grounds of a Divorce?

There is the dissolution of a marriage and there is divorce.  The gender of each partner now has no bearing on either in the state of Washington.  In order to obtain a divorce in the state one of the parties has to prove that the other has been at fault under one of the statutory grounds.  So exactly what are the fault grounds of a divorce?

Fault grounds are described as reasons that are commonly accepted in which one spouse takes the other to court to ask for a divorce.  By law these may include adultery, willingly being absent for more than 12 months, extreme cruelty, habitual abuse of alcohol and/or other substances and more examples that may defined by your divorce attorney.

To discover any and all of the fault grounds in the state of Washington you need to seek the council of a family lawyer with three and a half decades of experience in handling divorce cases.  Contact the office of Lyle Clark today at (425) 452-3092.  Have a frank and open discussion with someone who will not judge, but help you make the proper decision.  Make that call TODAY!

What are my Spousal Support Options?

Divorce is the dissolution of a marriage and not the end of your obligation to your former spouse.  In most divorce cases one partner is more financially viable than the other.  Because of this the less well-off partner is entitled to equitable financial compensation to help them cope financially with their new post-divorce lifestyle.

Spousal support is established to recognize one individual’s support given during the union even though it was not an equal sharing of expenses.  Alimony, by the way is available ONLY to those that have been legally married.  You may anticipate that the court will award financial assistance based on factors such as the duration of the marriage, each person's earning capacity, contribution to household or career, and physical health of the recipient.

How does spousal support effect you in the state of Washington?  Hear the facts from someone who has represented divorcees in the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area for nearly 35 years.  That man is Attorney Lyle M. Clark.  Do not hesitate another minute call Attorney Clark at (425) 452-3092 and make an appointment to visit him at his office located at 40 Lake Bellevue Suite 100 in Bellevue WA.

The Difference Between an Annulment and a Divorce.

We have all heard these two words.  They are the primary ways to legally end a marriage.  Many of us, however, are hazy on what constitutes an annulment, which in Washington State is referred to as a declaration of invalidity of marriage.  Annulment is a legal procedure which cancels a marriage between couples.  On the surface that seems simple doesn’t it?  But how does an annulment differ from a divorce?

Annulling a marriage is similar to saying that the marriage never existed.  An annulment may be sought by either party, however he or she must show that they have grounds to do so and be able to prove it in court.  There are two types of marriages that may be annulled: Ones that are void and ones that are voidable.  For example, a marriage between a person who is already married and another person is void.  Likewise, a marriage between a 21-year old and a 14-year old is void because a 14-year old cannot legally marry in Washington.  Upon reaching the legal age (18), however, that marriage would become voidable if the parties remain together.  A marriage conceived under fraudulent circumstances is also voidable.  For example, if a man doing time in prison for homicide escapes and marries a woman without telling her about his criminal past, she can have the marriage declared invalid when she learns about it.

What is right for you?  The proper way to discover this is to seek professional council in these matters.  Seattle area Divorce attorney Lyle M. Clark Jr. will help you sort through your choices between divorce and annulment.  Attorney Clark has over 30 years of experience dealing with family law matters.  Make an appointment at his office at 40 Lake Bellevue Suite 100 in Bellevue by calling (425) 452-3092.

Coping with a Split Family this Holiday Season.

Many families are going through a difficult time this holiday season.  For the first time mom and dad are living in separate residences and there is tension in the air.  In many cases divorce proceedings have yet to take place and may not occur at all.  This is a particularly difficult time for the children, so remember that when you gather with them this holiday season.

Use this time to reflect on how life will be if things continue on this path.  Is everyone better off this way, or is there a better way?  Whatever you decide try to take your own selfish interests and put them on the back burner for a moment.  The decisions you make will change your family structure forever.  Maybe that is the way it should be.  However, you decide to proceed, keep in mind that your spouse is the other parent of your child or children. No matter what issues divide you, always do your best to build up that parent in your children’s eyes.

After the holidays, contact Seattle area divorce attorney Lyle Clark for sound advice as to how to proceed.  Attorney Clark has been helping Seattle area residents deal with these important issues for over thirty years.  Make an appointment to sit down with him at his Bellevue Washington office by calling (425) 452-3092.  You will appreciate the council of someone with the expertise of Attorney Lyle Clark.

Uncontested Divorce in the State of Washington.

The term “uncontested” has multiple meanings.  In Washington State, all cases are uncontested because the only ground for divorce (called marriage dissolution in Washington) is that the marriage is irretrievably broken.  The necessity of proving fault of some kind has been removed from the process.

Another meaning to “uncontested divorce” is that both parties to the divorce are in full agreement as to the issues before one of them ever contacts an attorney.  Why spend thousands of dollars fighting over a variety of issues if you can resolve them yourselves?  In Washington an attorney cannot represent both sides in a divorce because doing so would constitute a conflict of interest.  However, an experienced family law attorney can help make sure that the dissolution documents have been correctly drafted and that all issues have been appropriately addressed.

Seattle area family law Attorney Lyle Clark is a very skilled draftsman and an experienced negotiator with over 30 years of handling divorce cases in the state of Washington.  His first priority is to help settle your case out of court in order to avoid unnecessary expense and minimize conflict.  Call Lyle Clark today at (425) 452-3092 to find out more about how his expertise may help for you and to make an appointment to meet with him at his Bellevue WA office.

A Seattle Area Divorce Attorney.

Divorce can be terribly stressful.  You need to approach it as one of life’s unfortunate forks in the road.  Having a clear vision of what you want to get out of a divorce is very important.  If you and your partner can agree on an uncontested divorce, the proceedings will move forward at a much faster and less stressful pace.

Lyle Clark of Bellevue, WA is a knowledgeable and capable divorce lawyer who focuses on cases that can be resolved outside the courtroom.  The emotions associated with the dissolution of a marriage can sometimes get in the way. You need a dispassionate representative to analyze complex financial issues and gather all of the relevant information in a professional manner.  He will protect your interests as he negotiates a mutually acceptable settlement.

Dissolution of marriage may be a weighty matter, but it does not have to be contentious.  Call Attorney Lyle Clark at (425) 452-3092 to make an appointment at his office at 40 Lake Bellevue Suite 100.  You will take comfort in knowing that you have over 3 decades of experience on your side.