Washington State Divorce Law Is Very Complicated.

Washington divorce laws are governed by statute.  The critical statutes regarding Washington divorce law can be found in Title 26 of the Revised Code of Washington, entitled "Domestic Relations".

Ultimately, however, if you and your spouse do not agree on the critical terms of your divorce, then all of the important decisions regarding your property, your debts and your children will be made for you by a judge.

The first two chapters of Title 26 regarding Washington State divorce law are where most of the critical divorce statutes are found.  As you can see from the link above, they are often somewhat vague.  This is by specific design.  In crafting and adopting Washington's divorce laws, our legislature specifically afforded the trial court judge a tremendous amount of discretion in reaching his or her final resolution.

It is also important to keep in mind that these laws are supplemented and guided by the decisions of Washington Appellate Courts, which have interpreted them.  As a practical matter, the Washington divorce laws provide more guidance than certainty. 

In order to properly assess your situation, it is important to speak with an experienced divorce attorney.