Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward, P.S.

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Cohabitation And Separation Agreements For Unmarried Domestic Partners

At Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward, P.S., our family law attorneys use their extensive knowledge to advise clients on unmarried persons’ cohabitation cases. We bring a compassionate and skillful approach to the dissolution of your domestic partnership because we understand that this is an extremely difficult and emotional transition period in your life. Our team of attorneys is experienced in determining parental rights, child support, property rights, and maintenance and alimony.

The state of Washington has specific unmarried persons cohabitation laws that may differ from those in the surrounding states. Washington is not a common-law marriage state. Our attorneys have years of combined experience working with a variety of clients in the state to develop a unique understanding of Washington’s specific laws. Washington does not recognize common-law marriages, but the state court will look at the specific facts and circumstances to determine an appropriate outcome if you are a Washington state resident.

When you are dissolving your domestic partnership, some relevant areas to take into account are the length of the relationship, the length of cohabitation, the shared resources and the intention of both parties. Once those areas are determined, it allows both parties to explore what needs to be divided and how to move forward efficiently. Each person has a right to the items that were shared during the relationship. This makes it crucial to skillfully navigate the responsibilities of each party to ensure a seamless dissolution of the relationship. There is no specific time frame for cohabitation rules to begin, so both parties must be in agreement regarding the division of responsibilities.

If there is a child shared in the domestic partnership, then custody, child care and child support must be determined. Each party’s rights and responsibilities must be organized and agreed upon in order to set the child up for a prosperous upbringing. Our family law attorneys are experienced in skillfully navigating the details of a custody agreement while preparing all parties involved for a harmonious transition.

We hear some common questions from unmarried cohabitants that our family law attorneys will be able to discuss with you, like the following:

  • What if we agree, do we need a lawyer?
  • How do we decide where the children will live?
  • Who gets the family home?
  • Does it matter that my partner cheated?
  • Am I going to receive partner/child support?
  • We weren’t married – do we need to go through dissolution and how long will it take?
  • Am I going to have to move out?
  • Will I be able to see my pet?

Our dedicated family law attorneys are able to utilize their experience and resources to work with clients to meet their goals. We are sensitive in your time of transition, and we are empathetic in understanding that this may be a difficult time for you and your family.

Contact us by email or call 509-662-3685 to discuss your family law needs.