Filing For Divorce in Washington State
The spouse who files for divorce—or dissolution of marriage–is known as the Petitioner. The Petitioner is the spouse who begins the filing procedure with the family law or domestic relations court.
The non-filing spouse is known as the Respondent. The Respondent is the spouse who does not file the initial dissolution of marriage papers, but instead receive the filing papers, and is issued a summons by the court.
In order to file for divorce, otherwise technically known as dissolution of marriage in the state of Washington, residency must be proven. The court must have jurisdictional rights to hear the case or it will be dismissed sooner or later. A good lawyer can help.
To fulfill the requirements you must:
• Be a resident of the state
• Be a member of the armed forces and stationed in this state
• Be married to a party who is a resident of this state or who is a member of the armed forces and is stationed in this state. If you happen to need a top Washington divorce lawyer then I do suggest this resource.
Ninety days must elapse from the time the petition for a dissolution of marriage is filed until the court will act upon the petition by issuing a summons on the respondent. (Revised Code of Washington – Title 26 – Chapters: 26.09.010, 26.09.030). Make sure to get a good lawyer for this kind of thing.