Washington DC Divorce Laws and Resources
The following information is a resource on how to get a divorce in Washington, DC. You can find divorce professionals, forms, support, and state laws. In addition to the resources listed below, you can find more help and information in our divorce article section.
ProfessionalsDivorce LawyersFinancial Planners Divorce & Parenting Services Private Investigators Background Checks Marriage Reconciliation Help Divorce SupportSupport GroupsDomestic ViolenceShelters and Hotlines |
Divorce PapersDivorce and Separation FormsOnline Divorce Divorce Form Preparation QDRO Preparation Family Law ResourcesDivorce LawsChild Support Guidelines Child Support Calculator DC Child Support Office |
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DIVORCE LAWYERS AND FIRMS
Need a Divorce Lawyer?
LegalMatch allows you to present your case, and respond only to attorneys who want to help you. It's Free &
Confidential. You can post you legal issues with Legal Match and receive a reply from
qualified attorneys who can handle your case. Legal Match is a good
directory that empowers consumers to locate and thoroughly review the
experience, availability and price of pre-screened attorneys before deciding
whom to contact.
MARRIAGE RECONCILIATION HELP
Relational Harmony
Fernando Alessandri - Communication, Negotiation & Reconciliation Expert
PO Box 61
Davidsonville, MD 21035
Phone: 443-370-2606
Areas Served: Maryland, Northern Virginia, and DC
Find out more about Relationship Harmony
DIVORCE FORM PREPARATION
Have All of Your Documents Completed For You! This easy to use, accurate, and up-to-date on-line divorce service is a perfect "do it yourself (without a lawyer)" solution for any uncontested divorce (with or without children) that will be filed in the District of Columbia. You can get "Real Person" customer support by phone & e-mail, plus access to 40 downloadable books (valued at over $750). Start your Washington DC divorce today.
QDRO PREPARATION
QdroDesk - is an industry proven online service providing divorcing spouses with an instant, easy, accurate, and affordable method for obtaining Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs), the appropriate settlement agreement language, and processing instructions to divide a retirement account upon divorce. The service is a result that only 45 years of combined QDRO experience can provide. When combining this expertise with a smart question and answer technology, QdroDesk has easily become the ideal solution for QDRO preparation.
ACCOUNTANTS/FINANCIAL PLANNERS
Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement1725 K St, NW, Suite 201
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-393-5452
Fax: 202-393-5890
Website: www.wiserwomen.org
E-mail:
The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) is dedicated to education and advocacy that will improve the long-term financial quality of life for women. As the only organization to focus exclusively on the unique financial challenges that women face, WISER supports women's opportunities to secure fair pensions and adequate retirement income through research, workshops, and partnerships.
DIVORCE AND PARENTING SERVICES
Center for Divorce Education
1005 East State Street, Suite G
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-594-2526
Email:
Online parenting education to keep children out of the middle of divorce.
Christian Divorce Services
1217 Hilltop Ave
Fayetteville, NC 28305
Phone: 614-774-3766
Email:
We have locations in every state. When reconciliation has failed, we provide Christian legal alternatives consistent with 1Cor 6: 1-8. Please Contact Michael Wayland at our central office for a referral to a local office.
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS
There are currently no private investigators for this state
BACKGROUND CHECKS
Instant Background Report - Find out date of birth and marital status, address history and aliases, criminal and court records, sex offender searches, property records, general public records, business registration and property resources. Find out the truth about anyone!
DIVORCE SUPPORT GROUPS
Divorce Care can help you locate a divorce support group in your area. There are thousands of DivorceCare support groups throughout the USA and Canada, and many groups meeting internationally as well.
Partners in Prevention provides consulting and psychological services to
domestic abuse survivors before, during and post divorce. Additionally, we serve
as consulting experts in both civil and criminal domestic violence cases. We
also offer continuing medical and nursing education in domestic abuse assessment
and clinical management to healthcare professionals. You can contact us at:
13918 E. Mississippi Ave
Aurora, CO 80012
Phone: 720-222-1058
Economic Empowerment For Women - BreakFreee.org is a non-profit organization offering free, unbiased, access to financial information and education to low to middle income women. Key features of the website include: Financial issues for divorcees, financial calculators, and a database of Frequently Asked Questions where you can submit questions and receive unbiased answers from financial planners.
60 West Olsen Road #3500
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Phone: 888-372-4155
Email:
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES
Crisis Resources for the District of ColumbiaDomestic Violence Shelters and Hotlines in DC
Coalition Against Domestic Abuse - DC Chapter
DIVORCE LAW
District of Columbia Online Divorce Statutes - Look under Division II Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Title 16, Chapter 9 (Divorce, Annulment, Separation, Support, Etc). Click on the + sign to expand the chapter.RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: At least one party must be a resident of the District of Columbia for a minimum of 6 months before filing for a divorce. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Section 16-902]
LEGAL GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE: A divorce may be granted if the
parties have mutually lived separate and apart for 6 months, or have lived
separate and apart without cohabitation for one year prior to filing for a
divorce. Couples who have pursued separate lives, sharing neither bed nor
food, can be deemed living separate and apart, even if they reside in the same
house. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Section 16-904]
LEGAL SEPARATION: A legal separation may be granted if the parties
have lived apart, sharing neither bed nor board. A legal separation may be converted to an
absolute divorce. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Sections 16-904, and 16-905]
PROPERTY DISTRIBUTION: The District of Columbia is an equitable distribution state, meaning the the court will distribute all property and debt acquired during the marriage in a just, equitable, and reasonable manner, considering the following factors:
- The length of the marriage,
- the age, health, occupation, amount, and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, assets, debts, and needs of each of the parties, and the opportunity for future acquisition of assets and income
- the custody provisions of the minor children
- whether the property distribution is in lieu of or in addition to alimony;
- each party's obligation from a prior marriage or for other children;
- the contribution of each party as a homemaker;
- any contribution made by one party to help educate or develop the career or employability of the other party, and any interruption of either party's educational or personal career opportunities for the benefit of the other's career or for the benefit of the parties' marriage or children;
- each party's contribution to the marital assets (and whether the assets or debts were incurred after separation);
- the tax consequences for each party subject to distribution; and
- the circumstances that caused the breakdown of the marriage
Sole and separate property acquired prior to the marriage, or acquired during the marriage by gift, bequest, devise, or descent, and any increase thereof, or property acquired in exchange therefor; shall be considered separate property and not subject to division. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Section 16-910]
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ALIMONY/MAINTENANCE/SPOUSAL SUPPORT: Either party may be awarded
alimony, and may be indefinite or term-limited. In determining whether
spousal support will be awarded, and the amount of alimony that will the paid, the court shall consider
the length of the marriage, the age, health and mental conditions of each party,
the standard of living established during the marriage, occupation, amount and
sources of income, the property awarded in the divorce settlement, vocational
skills, employability, length of time necessary to gain sufficient education or
training for suitable employment, estate, liabilities, and needs of each of the parties;
the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income; the
fault of either party; the right of a party to receive retirement benefits; any
previous award of child support in this case; and the federal tax consequences of the
order. [Based on District of Columbia
Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Section 19-913]
SPOUSE'S NAME: The party that changed their name upon marriage may state in the decree that they will resume either their birth name or a previous name that they desire to use. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Sections 16-915]
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CHILD CUSTODY: The best interest of the child will be the primary
consideration in awarding custody. The court favors joint custody unless
there is evidence of an intrafamily offence, abuse, neglect, parental
kidnapping. The following factors are used in determining the best
interest of the child:
- The wishes of the child, where practicable;
- the wishes of the parents regarding custody;
- the relationship of the child with each parents, his or her siblings, and any other person who may affect the child's best interest;
- the child's adjustment to home, school, and community, as well as the possible disruption of the child's social and school life;
- the physical and mental capability of each parent;
- the willingness of the parents to share custody, communicate, and reach shared decisions;
- each parent's prior involvement in the child's life;
- the demands of parental employment and the parents ability to support a joint custody arrangement;
- the age and number of children;
- the sincerity of each parent's request, and the benefits to the parent. [Based on District of Columbia Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Section 16-914]
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DC CHILD SUPPORT LAW: Both parents are responsible for the support of their
children, and the payment of child support is gender-neutral. Child
support is determined by the income-shares model, meaning that the level of
child support will amount to a set percentage of the non-custodial parent's
income, and may be adjusted according to the age of the children. Prior
child support orders that are being paid shall be deducted from a parent's
income before the child support obligation is computed.
The support guidelines shall be applied unless the resulting support would unjust or inappropriate. In such instances, factors that may be considered to deviate from the guidelines are:
- the needs of the child are exceptional;
- the non-custodial parents income is substantially less than that of the custodial parent;
- the property settlement provides resources for the support of the child in an amount at least equivalent to the guideline amount;
- the non-custodial parent needs a temporary reduction in the level of support (but not for more than 12 months) to help pay off debt or rearrange financial obligations;
- the cost of medical coverage paid for by the custodial parent is significant in comparison to the level of child support ordered;
- the custodial parent is receiving child support from more than one non-custodial parent to the extent that the standard of living is higher than that of the non-custodial parent; or
- any other factors that would make the standard child support determination unfair.
In cases of shared custody, where the child spends at least 40% with each parent, the guidelines are not presumptive, but rather advisory, and may be adjusted at the discretion of the court using the modified guidelines set for such circumstances. Child support orders shall include provisions for wage withholding, and health coverage. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 - Sections 16-916.01]
PREMARITAL AGREEMENT: Premarital agreements must be in writing,
and signed by both parties. They may address such issues as the rights and
obligations of each party concerning any property acquired or sold, the
modification or elimination of alimony, and any other matter not in violation of
public policy or law. Child support may not be adversely affected by a
premarital agreement. A premarital agreement is not enforceable if it can
be proven that the agreement was signed under duress, or if the party signing
the agreement was not made aware of the property or financial obligations of the
other party. [Based on DC Code - Title 16 - Chapter 9 -
Sections 46-502 through 508]
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