For Washington State Residents

What if neither my spouse nor I live in Washington state? 

• The courts in Washington would not have jurisdiction to handle your divorce.
• So you should consult an attorney where you live.

What if one of us lives in Washington state and one of us does not?

• No problem.
• As long as one spouse is a Washington state resident, it does not matter where the other spouse lives.

What if we got married outside of Washington state?

• That’s OK.  It does not matter where you got married.
• Jurisdiction is determined by where you live, not by where you got married.

What if one of us is in the military?

• If either one of you is on active duty and stationed in Washington state, then your case can be filed in Washington state.
• As long as you are stationed in Washington, then it is OK if you are deployed out of state.
• And as long as you are stationed in Washington, then Washington does not need to be your military home of record.

Do we have to be U.S. citizens?

• No, your citizenship status does not matter.
• If you live in Washington state, legally or not, citizen or not, then your divorce case can be filed in Washington state.

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