Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a term used to describe methods of settling disputes without the formality of a formal court hearing, such as a trial or Motion for Temporary Orders. Throughout the course of any case, we always employ the most common method of dispute resolution: the art of informal negotiation. The alternative dispute […]
Helpful procedural information and resources related to the Family Law practice in Washington. These articles relate to the process or procedure of a divorce or family law action (as opposed to the substantive law).
Confirmation of Issues in King County Divorce
In King County, Washington, a case is governed by a Case Schedule, with critical dates starting with the date of filing and ending with the Trial Date. About 3 ½ months after filing, a Confirmation of Issues is due. This is an administrative document that tells the court if you are on schedule to meet […]
Contempt Hearings in Washington
Family Law: Contempt If a parent fails to comply with residential provisions of a Court-ordered Parenting Plan, the parent who is denied access to the child may initiate a contempt action by filing a motion to coerce the other parent to comply with the Order. The non-complying parent can be sanctioned by the Court by […]
Deposition in Divorce
In contested cases, a great deal of work goes into preparing the case for trial. Sometimes, it is necessary to conduct a deposition. A deposition is testimony taken under oath (under penalty of perjury) in advance of a trial. Typically, a deposition is taken both to learn information, and to “box” a witness into a […]
Discovery in Washington Divorce
Family Law: Discovery in Divorce (Interrogatories, Deposition, Subpoena) On the procedural level, a divorce entails a number of distinct phases over a period of time. One of the most important phases is known as discovery. At its core, discovery is about revealing details relevant to a particular case. It involves the legal representatives of either […]
Effective Court Declaration
Family Law: Drafting Effective Court Declaration Whether you are representing yourself in a family law matter, or whether you are represented by an attorney, the time will probably come when you will need to collect statements from witnesses on your behalf to be filed in court. Usually, these statements, either declarations under penalty of perjury […]
Lincoln County Divorce
In the past, Lincoln County was the preferred county in Washington to file for divorces prepared by paralegals. The reason was because paralegals could not appear in court, and Lincoln County was the only county in Washington that would allow the entry of a Decree without personal testimony. Therefore, paralegals would prepare the documents for […]
Motion for Default
Family Law: Motion of Default When a person is served with a lawsuit, there is generally a Summons that says they must respond within a certain amount of time, typically 20 days if served in the State of Washington and 60 days if served outside of the State of Washington. To protect themselves, they should […]
Page Limits in Motion
Family Law: Page Limits in King County Family Law Motion Are your aware that there are page limits on the number of pages you can file in a declaration for a motion for a family law hearing in King County, Washington? Well there are page limits, and it has been in effect for a couple […]
Pretrial Conference in King County Divorce
Family Law: Pretrial Conference in King County, Washington, Divorce In King County Washington, the clerks monitors cases with a Case Schedule to make sure that the parties and their lawyers are ready for trial. The trial judge will typically schedule a Pretrial Conference about a month before the scheduled trial date. The purpose of this […]
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