Spouse Support Form For Depression In Washington
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FAQ
Can I serve divorce papers myself? No. Only a non-party to the case who is over the age of 18 can serve divorce papers under Washington law.
Complete the “Notice of Discontinuance” Petition To cancel your divorce petition, you will need to complete and file a “Notice of Discontinuance” with the court where your divorce was initially filed. This document informs the court that you and your spouse have decided not to proceed with the divorce.
Short Term versus Long Term Marriage. When addressing spousal support the Court will look to characterize a marriage as either short or long term. The presumption is that a marriage that is less than 10 years is considered a short term marriage and a marriage that is over 10 years is considered a long term marriage.
Length of Marriage Parties who have been married for five years or less have a “short-term marriage” under Washington Law. In a short-term marriage divorce, the court strives to divide the shared assets in a fair and equitable manner and return the parties to the financial position they were in before the marriage.
Alimony in Long-Term Marriages (over 25 years) For marriages of 25 years or longer, courts usually try to put the parties in an equal financial position for the remainder of their lives or at least until both parties retire.
For long-term marriages (over 25 years), the court will usually try to put both parties in an equal financial position for either the remainder of their lives or until both parties retire. The idea is that after 25 years, the parties should be recognized as financially equal partners.
As a general rule of thumb, courts in Washington State award one year of alimony for every three or four years of marriage. There is no statute or case law explicitly stating this formula, but it is an oft mentioned rule and generally what courts can be expected to do.
Washington does not recognize common law marriage. You could live with someone for decades, use their last name, and have children together, but the state would not recognize you as being married. Thus, you wouldn't have the same rights as legally married spouses.
Unless an agreement or the divorce decree provides otherwise, a Washington spousal maintenance obligation generally ends when the party receiving it remarries or registers a new domestic partnership or when either party dies. RCW 26.09. 170(2).
Alimony usually lasts until the divorce is final or for a brief period afterward. Mid-length marriages that lasted between 5-25 years have more variability in awarding alimony. Judges often award one year of maintenance for every 3 to 4 years married, but this is not a hard rule.
