Tacoma, Washington, Divorce Attorney
No one "wins" a divorce case. Both husband and wife will lose. The income and financial resources that supported one household during the marriage now must support two. In today’s economy, the family home usually has to be refinanced or sold, as neither party can afford to make the mortgage payments alone. In many cases, friends, in-laws and relatives will get involved where they probably shouldn’t, and take sides in a couple’s divorce. While such people often think they are just being helpful and supportive, what they are really doing is increasing the both the short-term stress and the long-term damage that divorce brings about. And, of course, if children are involved, they will be the "biggest losers" in a divorce case. Regardless of their ages, kids will endure the emotional difficulties that surround the fracturing of a family, as well as being impacted by the financial stresses that inevitably accompany divorce.
We focus on providing you and your family with lasting solutions that protect your financial security and emotional wellbeing through Collaborative Law and Divorce Mediation divorce.
Contact us to protect your rights and interests through alternative dispute resolution.
At Scholl Law Firm, P.S. in Tacoma, Washington, we have guided countless people through marriage dissolution and all aspects of the divorce process since our firm was founded in 1994. Our two family law attorneys, and our professional support staff, will take the time to get to know your individual circumstances, fears, hopes, and objectives. We will work as a professional team to address both the legal and the practical aspects of your divorce, so that you can focus on getting on with the rest of your life. We also are experienced in complex divorce matters involving military divorce or domestic abuse.
We advise and represent clients with issues involving:
Property division: Washington is a community property state. This does not mean that property is automatically split 50/50. All assets and debts, regardless of whether they are in the husband’s name, the wife’s name, or both, are divided in a divorce based on a "just and equitable" standard. If not agreed upon by the parties, a Superior Court Judge will decide issues of property division for the couple. Our property division attorneys can help protect your rights and assets in your divorce.
Child support and child custody: Child support is based on state-mandated guidelines determined by factors such as the incomes of both parents, and how much time each child spends residing with each parent. In Washington, divorcing parents are not free to use child support as a “bargaining chip” for deciding child custody and visitation issues; one has nothing to do with the other. Similarly, parents may not waive child support in a Washington family law matter; child support is for the child or children, and parents may not legally negotiate it away just for the sake of settling an acrimonious divorce. Child support can be modified by the court every two years, or at any time there has been a substantial change in the financial circumstances of one or both parents. We also handle cases involving child custody and visitation.
Spousal Maintenance (formerly known as "Alimony"): Washington courts generally disfavor the award of spousal maintenance except to the extent that such financial assistance is absolutely necessary for one spouse’s survival. While the court will take various factors, such as the length of the marriage, into account in awarding spousal maintenance, the major factors that are considered are one spouse's financial need versus the other spouse's ability to pay.
Contact us by e-mail or call our offices in Tacoma, Washington, at 253.579.1126 if you need experienced legal advice or representation in your divorce; legal separation; child custody and visitation dispute; child support problem; or other family law matter. For your convenience, we accept all major credit cards, and can be available for evening or weekend appointments.
