Address: 2317 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107, USA
Phone: +12067843049
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 9AM–5PM
Tuesday: 9AM–5PM
Wednesday: 9AM–5PM
Thursday: 9AM–5PM
Friday: 9AM–5PM
Saturday: Closed
Alice Tan
Michelle Danley is very personable and thorough, and she has exceeded my expectations. I hired her for a collaborative prenup which she walked me through every step of the process and addressed all of my questions and concerns. I also appreciate her timely responses. Keep up the great work Michelle!
AJ Bucci (US)
Nathan exceeded my expectations. He was kind and thorough in his approach. I felt like I was really listened to and that he cared about my individual situation. Nathan presented me with multiple options of what I could do along the way, and gave me the space to make the decision that was right for me with each step. It was a relief to be able to work with Nathan - one less thing to worry about during a challenging time.
Girts Beitlers
I worked with Michelle Danley for over a year to get through a very difficult divorce. We had three mediation sessions and many months of attempted reasoning before that. Michelle is calm and has a professional demeanor and opinion that helped me stay on track when I was ready to go straight to court. She always had my best interests in mind and never insisted on unnecessary expenses - be it emailing or conferencing. It does not mean that she doesn't communicate well; on the contrary, when it comes time to communicate, she is always timely and on point. I couldn't recommend her enough to anyone who's looking for representation in a divorce.
Matt Fetzer
Before filing for divorce, I spoke with about a dozen attorneys in the area. I felt like some said what they thought I wanted to hear, while others seemed almost disinterested. After narrowing it down to a few, I chose Michelle Danley from Seattle Divorce Services because I felt like she was an excellent listener, and gave me her unbiased thoughts instead of saying things to land a new client. My case was complex, not for the finances/assets, but because of a parental rights dispute. Michelle and her team gave me excellent representation. While I no doubt am bias because of our success, I'd like to think that even if we had been less successful, that I would still appreciate her efforts and high-quality work. Besides that, Michelle was great at managing someone (me) who was dealing with a difficult situation. She was kind and professional. Her communications were excellent; she responded quickly to my inquiries and promptly passed on information from the courts and opposing counsel. I myself am a licensed attorney, and while I am not an expert in family law, I felt that her work could not have been better. I think that there are many types of family law attorneys out there. There are some who will guide you and make decisions for you (with your consent) if you are not in a good state of mind to decide. There are others who will do what you ask even when that may not be in your best interest. Michelle is someone who will tell you what she thinks, and will discuss the options with you. She is willing to make recommendations as well, but ultimately, she will inform you as best she can then will leave it up to you to decide. That is exactly what I was looking for, and if it is what you need, you may want to consider talking to her. I could not recommend her more highly.
Thanks! Your review is awaiting moderation.
When a couple is divorcing in Washington State, the court has a great deal of discretion as to what should be awarded to each party. The court is to award to each party what it feels is fair ("equitable") given various factors including the length of the marriage, whether property is community or separate, and the relative financial positions of each party going forward. Even separate property can be divided by the court if it feels it must do so to achieve an overall fair result. The court may also use an award of spousal support to balance the relative positions of the spouses. If the parties are in relatively similar positions, we start with an assumption that each will receive 50% of community property. However, when one spouse is disadvantaged compared to the other, we assume the disadvantaged spouse will receive more than 50% -- how much more depends on the various factors we mentioned earlier. Please consult with an attorney as to your specific situation.
An uncontested divorce in Washington State is one where the Petitioner serves the legal papers on the other spouse (the Respondent), but the Respondent fails to file any Response to the Petition. By not responding to the Petition, they have failed to contest any part of it, which means the case can by concluded by the Petitioner bringing a motion for default and having the court finalize the divorce along the lines requested in the Petition. This is different from an agreed divorce where both parties participate in working out the terms of the divorce and then enter agreed final orders.
A legal separation in Washington State is an alternative to divorce. In a legal separation the court does all of the things that are done in a divorce (divides property, awards support, determines parenting arrangements, etc.), but leaves out the line in the final orders that terminates the marriage. Thus the couple is is no longer a community, but are still technically married to each other. In other words, they are not free to remarry, but they are also no longer a single legal entity as a couple. Each has their own property and can move forward as a separate entity. This may have both tax implications and affect rights to be carried on the spouse's insurance through employment. If a couple who has legally separated gets back together again, they may create a confusing legal status that may require completing a divorce and then remarrying to untangle.
A divorce is the termination of a marriage. Along with terminating the marriage, the court will typically deal with a number of matters needed to wrap up the end of the marriage relationship and provide for how each former spouse moves forward as a single person. This includes dividing property and debts acquired during the marriage, awarding spousal or child support where needed, and making parenting arrangements when children are involved. In Washington State a divorce action is initiated by filing a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the court and serving the initial legal papers on the other spouse. The divorce is concluded when the court enters the Decree of Dissolution containing all of the orders related to the above matters.
In Washington State there is a mandatory waiting period of 90 days between when a divorce is filed and when it can be finalized. If a trial is required, the time until trial varies from county to county. In King County it usually takes just under a year to get to trial. A divorce can be finalized by agreement (or default if no Response to the Petition is filed) anywhere between the end of the 90 day waiting period and trial.
If a person cannot afford an attorney to represent them in a divorce in Washington State, they still have several options. They can simply represent them self in the case. This is called being "pro se". A person representing them self pro se is responsible for knowing the law and court procedure and taking the steps an attorney would normally handle for them in moving the case along. For this reason, they may wish to still have an attorney advise them even if the attorney is not stepping into the case to represent them. The attorney can coach them on the steps they need to take, can prepare pleadings and other legal documents for them, and can even be hired to step into the case for a limited purpose, such as appearing at a specific hearing. This can keep the cost down while helping to make sure key steps are not ignored.
Thanks! Your answer is awaiting moderation.
Thanks! Your question is awaiting moderation.