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Mercer Island Divorce

Our Mercer Island Divorce Attorneys Offer Professional Guidance for Anyone Going Through a Divorce

When insurmountable problems arise in a marriage, often the best solution is to file for divorce . The goal of a divorce is to reconcile any disputes before going separate ways. However, this is often easier said than done. Not only will you have to deal with the shock of a dramatic lifestyle change, you will have to reconcile issues involving property division, child custody, and alimony, among others. The emotional toll on your children must also be acknowledged, as they are also going through a major lifestyle change.

If you are wondering whether a divorce is right for you, then it might be time to talk to one of our Mercer Island divorce lawyers for a confidential assessment of your situation. If you've been served with divorce papers by your partner, you may feel like your entire world is falling apart. Make no mistake: They have been planning out this action for some times, and quite likely have their own divorce attorney. In essence, you're playing catch-up now. You need to ensure your legal right are fully protected. Fortunately, we can help.

Before entering into a divorce, it’s a good idea to thoroughly review how the process will affect you emotionally and financially. Indeed, the decisions that you make during your divorce will have a direct impact on the rest of your life. This is why talking to one our qualified Mercer Island divorce attorneys makes sense; because they can help you address important questions from a skilled and competent legal standpoint.

Some of the questions you might be asking yourself include:

  • How does a divorce work, and what are my options?
  • How long will a divorce take, and what will it cost?
  • What is a parenting plan, and is does it have to be approved by a judge?
  • Will I receive alimony, or will I have to pay it?
  • Will a judge decide who gets custody of my children?

How your divorce case plays out depends on a number of factors, and because no two cases are alike your situation demands personalized attention from a professional Washington divorce attorney. Our Mercer Island divorce lawyers will give your case the focus it deserves, while compassionately defending your interests. We will do our best to help you and your spouse reach fair resolutions, even on contentious issues, and if that is not possible we will aggressively fight for your rights in Washington Court.

Mercer Island, Washington, The King County Family Court, and You

Mercer Island is a city of about 25,000 that sits on an island with the same name. It is part of the Seattle Metro Area, and located within King County where the Superior Court is located. Mercer Island is situated within Lake Washington, and you may be surprised to learn that it's the most populated island in a lake anywhere within the United States of America. It is also one of the wealthiest areas in the country. If you would like to learn about the Mercer Island city government and employment opportunities in the area check out the informative municipal website .

When you live on an island, one of the most popular things to do is spend time on the water. Lake Washington offers residents and visitors some excellent fishing opportunities. One of the most popular gamefish are coastal cutthroat trout, but there are a n umber of other fish targeted by anglers all over the region . Lake Washington is also popular with boaters, water skiers, and those who just enjoy a leisurely swim. Before eating anything out of the lake, be sure to check for public health advisories .

If you spend too much fishing and not enough time at home, you could be one of the many Washington residents that ends up getting a divorce every year. If you're served with divorce papers, or if you want to file for divorce, you will need to become familiar with the King County Family Court . You will also deal with this court if you're addressing some other family law matter like paternity, orders or protection, and many more. For more information, contact one of our Mercer Island family law lawyers today for a free consultation.

Understanding Common Family Law and Divorce-Related Matters in the State of Washington

Every situation involving a family law matter required personalized attention. We make this easy because we offer a free evaluation of any divorce or family law matter. Still, we prepared the following information as a primer, so you can familiarize yourself with some of the more common issues we routinely face.

Child custody issues are some of the most challenging you will ever face. When you realize just how much your relationship with your children will change after a divorce, it can make you feel angry, confused, and worried. Sometimes these emotions come out during divorce negotiations, and if you're not careful, the entire process may come to a screeching halt. If you and your former partner can't agree, the court will craft a parenting plan on your behalf and you may not like the end result.

We urge clients to work with their former partner to develop a custody arrangement that both parties can live with, even if neither think it's ideal. However, if your former spouse refuses to treat you fairly, we are not afraid of taking your case all the way to court. You must also be willing to be flexible at times, because rarely does either former spouse get exactly what they want when it comes to custody arrangements. Contact one of our Mercer Island child custody lawyers for more information.

Child support issues are often next in line. A number of factors will be addressed to determine how much support will be paid monthly. The court uses a Child Support Schedule that crunches the data and comes up with a firm figure. If you would like to know more about this topic, talk to one of our Mercer Island child support lawyers today.

Spousal support is also called alimony and it's when one former partner makes monthly support payments to the other. A number of factors will be considered when determining the dollar amount of monthly support. The length of the marriage will also come into play, and it will factor into the duration of the payments. If the marriage lasted a long time, alimony payments will likely only cease if the recipient dies or remarries. Contact one of our Mercer Island spousal support lawyers for more information.

Divorce for men is a serious topic, especially for fathers. If you're a man whose been served with divorce papers by your wife, you need to take swift action to defend your interests. You may be feeling overwhelmed and shocked, but she's likely been planning this action for some time. It's also likely that she has a lawyer who has already filed motions with the court. Protect your rights with help from one of our Mercer Island divorce for men lawyer.

Protection orders and restraining orders are useful tools to put an end to abuse in your home. Abuse may be long term or perhaps it's only happened once, but either way you need to protect yourself and your kids. These orders are almost always obeyed, so you have nothing to lose by contacting one of our Mercer Island protection order lawyers for a confidential consultation.

Modifications of support are sometimes necessary when there has been some dramatic change in a person's life that makes them fall on hard times financially. To find out whether you can petition the court for a child support or spousal modification, contact one of our Mercer Island family law lawyers without delay.

Our Mercer Island Divorce Attorneys can Also Help You With Important Family Law Issues

Sometimes family law issues arise that are unrelated to divorce. Separated couples may have questions that need to be solved related to paternity, modifications of support, and even child custody and visitation. When these situations arise, you need a skilled litigator at your side that has an in-depth knowledge of Washington family law.

Whether you are facing a divorce or another family law matter, you can talk to one of our Mercer Island divorce lawyers today and start getting some valuable legal information. We offer a free case evaluation to all of our Mercer Island clients, giving you the chance to ask questions and get answers based on the law.

If you retain one of our Mercer Island family law lawyers, they will protect your legal interests while offering your support and guidance when the going gets tough. Contact us today and schedule your own confidential consultation, so that you can take the first step toward a brighter future.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
Laurie has worked on my very challenging and contentious divorce and I could not have asked for a better family law attorney. She was able to handle all of the twists and turns of my case with ease. I highly recommend Laurie to anyone looking for an excellent, ethical and hard working counselor. Chandler
★★★★★
Laurie is an incredible divorce lawyer! She did an amazing job with my divorce, and it was a real dog fight the whole way. She is a true fighter. And you can tell that she really cares about her family law clients and the results that she achieves for them. John
★★★★★
My lawyer guided me through a very challenging time in my life when I was going through my divorce. She worked hard and explained every step of the way what was going on so I could understand the process. I was very happy with her work. Barbel