Divorce Lawyer Vancouver, WA

Your divorce requires critical attention to detail and careful planning and preparation, My firm is well-versed in Washington State divorce laws and local Vancouver, Clark County, Washington practice. Whether your divorce is agreed or highly contentious, it still requires multiple court filings, a splitting of assets and liabilities/debts, and meticulously detailed documentation of all child custody and support decisions. Understanding the implications of those choices is critical to a successful post-divorce life. Our divorce lawyer will take you through each step, explaining everything in as much detail as needed for you to make the most informed and well-reasoned decisions possible on those issues. ​

Asset distribution is not necessarily a simple proposition. Washington law states that the court shall dispose of the property and liabilities (debts) of the parties, either community or separate, as shall appear just and equitable after considering all relevant factors including, but not limited to: (1) The nature and extent of the community property; (2) The nature and extent of the separate property; (3) The duration of the marriage or domestic partnership; and (4) The economic circumstances of each spouse or domestic partner at the time the division of property is to become effective, including the desirability of awarding the family home or the right to live therein for reasonable periods to a spouse or domestic partner with whom the children reside the majority of the time. From a practical perspective, each case presents different sets of facts that will dictate what is just an equitable under the circumstances for each party. In some circumstances, a court may decide it is fair and equitable to divide everything evenly. In others, a court may decide to give one party a substantially disproportionate share of the assets. Let my firm evaluate all the factors carefully in order to present the best argument to support why you deserve to have the assets distributed in the way you believe is just, fair and equitable under the circumstances. ​

Spousal maintenance in a divorce is not a given. It is a myth that one party will get spousal maintenance simply because they ask for it. However, the longer the marriage and the bigger the difference between the parties earning capacity, the more likely it is that the party with the lower earning capacity will receive maintenance for a period of time. In deciding whether maintenance is just and appropriate, the court will look at the following non-exclusive factors: (a) The financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, including separate or community property apportioned to him or her, and his or her ability to meet his or her needs independently, including the extent to which a provision for support of a child living with the party includes a sum for that party;(b) The time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party seeking maintenance to find employment appropriate to his or her skill, interests, style of life, and other attendant circumstances;(c) The standard of living established during the marriage or domestic partnership; (d) The duration of the marriage or domestic partnership;(e) The age, physical and emotional condition, and financial obligations of the spouse or domestic partner seeking maintenance; and (f) The ability of the spouse or domestic partner from whom maintenance is sought to meet his or her needs and financial obligations while meeting those of the spouse or domestic partner seeking maintenance. Let our experience work to put you in the best position possible to either defend or advocate for spousal maintenance. We can make a difference for you.​

Child support can seem simple enough to come up with at first glance but can be tricky in its application. The Law Office of Nicholas Wood, P.S., is a zealous divorce lawyer and advocate for its clients and will do everything it can to maximize your chances of success in this critically important area for you. Washington law sets out a presumptive child support amount, based upon the income of the parties and the age of the child/children. The parents’ percentage of that presumptive amount is what the non-custodial parent will pay as base child support. From there, other expenses and credits are allocated between the parents, such as daycare expenses; medical insurance payments; uninsured medical expenses; long-distance transportation expenses. Believe it or not, these issues can be heavily disputed. The Law Office of Nicholas Wood, P.S. can help you evaluate and litigate your divorce issues Contact us today. ​