Last Updated on January 2025
Divorce proceedings in Washington State are primarily governed by the state law. However, each county may have unique local requirements, rules, and procedures. For example, there may be differences in the filing process, the number and type of court forms to prepare, the amount of filing fees, etc.
In this article, we will focus on the requirements for divorce in Pacific County, valid grounds to apply for it, the list of forms to prepare, and general steps to take to end your marriage.
The Requirements for Divorce in Pacific County
When filing for divorce in Pacific County, you have to comply with Washington State laws by meeting residency requirements and naming a state-acceptable ground for divorce.
Residency Requirement
Unlike many other states, Washington has no mandatory residency duration before filing for divorce. Still, at the moment of applying for marriage dissolution, you need to be:
- A person living in WA
- A husband or a wife of a person residing in Washington
- Military personnel based in Washington
- A person married to someone serving in the military in WA.
Grounds for Divorce in California
Washington is a no-fault divorce state. Therefore, neither spouse has to prove the partner’s wrongdoing or fault in ending a marriage. The only reason you need to specify when starting a divorce process is that your marriage is irretrievably broken. It means it has reached the point when reconciliation isn’t possible.
Generally, the no-fault nature of divorce allows for quicker resolution, especially if spouses manage to settle disputes outside of the court. In such a case, they are eligible for an uncontested divorce, which can be finalized faster, at a lower cost, and without stress related to contested litigation.
Divorce Process in Pacific County
The general steps of the Pacific County divorce process are:
- Decide whether you will be filing jointly.
- Get the relevant Pacific County divorce papers suitable for your specific case.
- Fill out the paperwork, sign it as required, and make the copies.
- Start your divorce by filing the forms with the clerk of court and paying the fee.
- If you are not filing jointly, hire a Pacific County process server or ask another adult to serve your spouse.
- After the service process is completed, bring the Proof of Personal Service form to the court.
- Once the 90-day waiting period elapses, schedule the final hearing.
- Bring the rest of your paperwork to the court and appear before a judge.
- File the orders signed by the judge with the court clerk to end your marriage officially.
Spouses who cannot settle their disputes will have to undergo a contested divorce process and hire lawyers. In such cases, an attorney would be responsible for guiding their client through the steps to getting a divorce, which may differ from those mentioned above.
Spouses who can reach an agreement can choose whether to get legal assistance and may opt to file without it. Couples may start their uncontested (agreed-upon) marriage dissolution together by filing a Petition filled out and signed by both of them.
Pacific County Divorce Forms
Some commonly used Pacific County court forms required to file for divorce are:
- Petition for Divorce – FL Divorce 201
- Agreement to Join Petition (Joinder) – FL All Family 119
- Confidential Information – Form FL All Family 001
- Summons – FL Divorce 200
- Proof of Personal Service – FL All Family 101
- Family Case Cover Sheet
- Final Divorce Order (Dissolution Decree) – FL Divorce 241
To divorce with children, you will need to submit to the Pacific County clerk some additional forms, such as:
- Parenting Plan – FL All Family 140
- Child Support Order – FL All Family 130
- Financial Declaration – FL All Family 131
- Sealed Financial Source Documents (Cover Sheet) – FL All Family 011
In cases with and without children involved, you may require other or more Pacific County family law forms depending on various factors. The aforementioned divorce papers are common in uncontested cases. Please note that many of them will have to be notarized.
To fill out divorce papers in Washington State, you will need to:
- Get the personal and contact information of everyone involved in the case.
- Inquire about your spouse’s financial and employment information.
- Make child support calculations and create a parenting schedule if you have kids.
- Provide complete and truthful answers to relevant questions.
- Look up any terminology and information that you are not familiar with.
After you finish, you may want to review the forms for possible mistakes and typos before signing them. The clerk will likely ask you to redo the document if it is filled out incorrectly.
To prevent potential problems with preparing divorce forms, you can take advantage of our service. Our advanced automated system will choose the needed forms based on the information you provide and fill them out with the details you specify in the questionnaire. With such expert assistance, you can save time and money when getting your divorce paperwork ready.
Pacific County Filing Fees
Pacific County divorce filings will cost you around $280-320. The clerk will ask you to make the payment once you give them your paperwork and, potentially, to cover other miscellaneous fees. As the exact sum may change slightly, you may contact the courthouse before your visit to learn the precise amount.
The judge may waive the court fee and related surcharges upon your request. However, you will have to prove that you are at a financial disadvantage in your Waiver and, likely, in other financial documents. If the court finds that you qualify for the indigent status or the fees should be waived due to other circumstances, you will not have to make the payment.
Divorce Courts in Pacific County, Washington State
You can find the contact information and the address of the Pacific County divorce court in the following table.
Pacific County, WA Divorce Court Information
Court Name: Pacific County Superior Court
Court Title: In the Circuit Court of Pacific County
Circuit Court Location: 300 Memorial Dr, South Bend, Washington 98586
Court Phone: 360-875-9351
Court Hours: 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
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