Helping Low-income People Find Solutions to Civil Legal Problems

Family Law >  Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce)   Listing of self-help materials and informational publications. There are 38 resources     General information      General Information about Divorce 3200EN - Information about getting divorced in Washington state. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Bulgarian / Български , Chinese / 中文 , Spanish / Español           Ending Your Marriage in Washington with Children: The Basics 3240EN - If you have children and want to get a divorce, you should read this publication first. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           Ending Your Marriage in Washington without Children: The Basics 3241EN - If you have no children and want to get a divorce, you should read this publication first. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           Community Debt and Bankruptcy Issues (Separate Website) Community debts are those debts that both you and your spouse are responsible for. This fact sheet defines which types of debts are defined as community debts. (PDF file) By: Northwest Women's Law Center           Parenting Plans (court orders about child custody) 3230EN - This publication provides general information about what a parenting plan is and how to get one. It also explains how to enforce or change a permanent parenting plan. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           Contempt of Court in a Family Law Case: The Basics 3107EN - This publication gives general information about the law concerning contempt in family law cases. It covers only the type of contempt most commonly used in family law cases, here called "coercive civil contempt". The main goal is to have a person who is violating a court order obey that order in the future. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           Enforcing Your Divorce Decree: Financial and Property Issues (Separate Website) 3234EN - A brief description of your legal options for collecting unpaid child support, maintenance, money judgments, and property. [link to PDF file] By: Northwest Women's Law Center           Dissolution When the Wife is Pregnant (Separate Website) 3236EN - This page describes the law and procedures which must be followed in a dissolution (divorce) when the wife is pregnant. [PDF file] By: Northwest Women's Law Center           Retirement, Divorce and You (Separate Website) 3238EN - Explains the importance of including retirement benefits when dividing up property in your divorce. [link to PDF file] By: Northwest Women's Law Center           Family Law Forms in Spanish (Separate Website) The King County Superior Court has the following forms and instructions available in Spanish at its website at www.metrokc.gov/kscc/famlaw/spanish.htm. The same forms are also available in English at www.metrokc.gov/kscc/forms and at www.courts.wa.gov/forms, the Washington Courts website. You can find additional forms and instructions available in Spanish and in English at this website: www.washingtonlawhelp.org. By: King County Superior Court     Read this in: Spanish / Español        back to top           Filing for Dissolution: Court forms, Instructions and Procedures (PDF files are for printing only. You cannot fill the forms out on your computer)      Filing for Divorce in WA with No Minor Children - Interactive Court Forms This online interview guides you through a series of questions and when completed provides court forms and instructions for filing a divorce without minor children of the marriage in Washington State. By: Northwest Justice Project             Filing for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) 3202EN - This packet was written to help you get a divorce. It provides general information about the law and some of the forms you will need to fill out. If you read the information carefully and follow the instructions, you should be able to do your own divorce. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Service by Certified Mail or Publication 3220EN - This packet applies when you are the petitioner and you must serve the opposing party with the petition and other documents in your case when your case first begins. When you have tried to serve the other party in person but cannot, you can ask the court to allow you to serve by certified mail or publication. By: Northwest Justice Project             Filing a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Waiver of Filing Fee) 3204EN - This packet includes the instructions and forms needed to ask the court to waive (not ask for) the filing fee required to file for divorce. These forms are generic. Some counties require that you file forms that our specific to that county. Call your county clerk and ask before filling out the forms included in this packet. By: Northwest Justice Project             Filing a Motion for Emergency Orders for Dissolution Cases and Modifications of Custody/PP in Diss 3214EN - This packet was written to help you get emergency orders while your case is pending in court. This type of motion is a way for you or another party to ask the court to enter an immediate court order that gives you certain rights and/or protections in your family law case between the time your case is filed and the date it is finished. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Filing a Motion for Temporary Orders for Dissolution Cases and for Custody/Parenting Plan Modifica 3217EN - This packet was written to help you get temporary orders while your case is pending in court. Temporary Orders can order who gets to use what property, who shall pay which bills, appoint a guardian ad litem, and establish temporary child support payments and a parenting plan to be followed until final orders have been entered. This packet can be used for any type of family law action, including dissolution or modification of an existing parenting plan or custody decree. By: Northwest Justice Project             Parenting Plans and Child Support for Dissolution (Divorce) Cases and Modifications of Dissolution 3209EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out the forms and papers for parenting plans and child support. You should not use this packet by itself. You should use this packet only if you are the petitioner (the one who is starting the court case) or the respondent (the one who is responding to the court case) in a dissolution of marriage (divorce), if you are the petitioner or respondent in an action to modify a custody decree or parenting plan in a dissolution of marriage. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Responding to Motions for Temporary or Emergency Orders for Dissolution Cases and for Custody/Pare 3222EN - This packet contains the forms and instructions you will need to fill out if you have received papers that ask for a court to award temporary or emergency orders in a dissolution (divorce) or custody modification matter. This packet will help you respond to the request for temporary or emergency orders by the other party. If you got papers from a party filing for dissolution, paternity, custody modification, or nonparental (third party) custody, we have separate response packets which you will need in addition to responding to the motion for temporary orders. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Responding to a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) 3203EN - This packet was written to help you respond to a Petition for Dissolution. It provides general information about the law and some of the forms you will need to fill out if you have been served with divorce papers. By: Northwest Justice Project             Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage by Default 3205EN - This packet was written to help you complete a dissolution (divorce) action that has been filed, but has no final orders signed by the Judge. It provides information about the law and some of the forms you will need to fill out. You may use this packet if your spouse agrees with what you are asking for or fails to respond in time. This packet will help you get final orders signed by the judge dissolving your marriage, dividing property and debts, changing your name (if desired), awarding maintenance (alimony) to one spouse, and entering a restraining order (if desired). By: Northwest Justice Project             Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) with Children by Agreement 3251EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to complete a dissolution (divorce) action when you and your spouse have an agreement (or settlement) and children are involved. By: Northwest Justice Project             Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) without Children by Agreement 3250EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to complete a dissolution (divorce) action when you and your spouse have an agreement (or settlement) and no children. By: Northwest Justice Project             Dismissing a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) 3219EN - This packet will help you dismiss a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage that you filed. You may use this packet if you change your mind and no longer want to get divorced. An Order of Dismissal will cancel your dissolution and you will stay married. By: Northwest Justice Project             Basic Tips on How to Prepare for a Court Hearing or Trial 3210EN - Tips on how to prepare for a hearing. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           Serving Papers on the State 3218EN - When you set or change child support, you must notify the State if you, the other parent, or the children receive public assistance. This packet contains the forms and instructions for serving your court papers on the state. By: Northwest Justice Project             How to Write a Declaration in a Family Law Case 3917EN - This publication tell you what a declaration is, what should be included and tips on how to write one. There is a family law declaration and forms attached that you can fill out. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Declaration Form - Family Law (Separate Website) Family Law Decarlation court form that can be used in all family law cases. By: Administrative Office Of The Courts