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In Washington State, one spouse's refusal cannot indefinitely block a divorce. While the process is smoother when both parties cooperate, you can move forward with a divorce even if your spouse refuses to work with you.

If your spouse doesn't file a response within 30 days of being served, you can ask the court for a default. This means asking the court to decide the case without your spouse's input. In a divorce by default, the court will make decisions based on the information you file and what the law says.

You can get information about their services at . 20 days If you were served in person in Washington state. 60 days If you were served in person outside of Washington state or by publication. 90 days If you were served by mail.

The spouse that files for divorce often has a bit more control over how fast the divorce progresses. By filing first, you've started the process at a point of your choosing, while your spouse has no choice but to respond on the court's timeline.

Factors that Affect 50/50 Division in Washington For couples that have been married for shorter periods, the court is likely to rule for an equal 50/50 distribution. However, for longer marriages, equitable distribution may mean a 70/30 split or a 60/40 split.

Washington is a no-fault state, which means that both spouses need not agree to the divorce for the court to grant it. If your spouse explicitly states that they will challenge the divorce and refuses to sign papers, it doesn't matter. The court can still issue a final divorce decree without both parties agreeing.

Default Judgment: When Your Spouse Doesn't Respond Washington is a no-fault divorce state. Although an uncooperative spouse can slow down the divorce process and make things more frustrating by not cooperating with the filing, he or she cannot stop a divorce by refusing to sign the paperwork.

A court in Washington State will usually a) award each party his or her own separate property and b) divide the net value of the parties' community property 50/50. This means the husband keeps what he brought to the marriage, the wife keeps what she brought, and the rest gets split between them equally.

Generally, all property (house, real estate, car) either spouse gets during the marriage is community property. It belongs to both spouses, even if only one is on the title. Both spouses' earnings during the marriage are community property.