Sometimes a person who is getting divorced wants to remarry as soon as possible. This individual may have met someone while the divorce was still being finalized or even before filing. A Divorce Attorney in Bremerton Wa can provide details on what the law requires in Washington State regarding any waiting period after filing. Once the divorce is final, each person is free to remarry immediately if they so choose.
Decree of Divorce
In Washington, a marriage ends as soon as a decree of divorce is entered by the court. There is a required, brief waiting period after obtaining the license for the new marriage. That time frame is a minimum of three days, allowing for a cooling-off period in case two people have made a hurried decision they might later regret.
Reasons for Delays
The main reason for any delay with a divorce decree is the spouses disagreeing on some aspect of the divorce. That might be specifics about asset division, spousal support, or child custody and visitation. If one spouse does not want a divorce or feels vindictive toward the other, these types of disagreements can make the process take longer. A Divorce Attorney in Bremerton Wa can arrange mediation sessions to resolve these matters. Eventually, the spouse who has filed for divorce may have to be represented by a lawyer in court and let a judge decide what should be done about the conflicts.
Legal Separations
The couple has the option of obtaining the status of legally separated if it looks like the divorce will be delayed for a while. This protects each spouse in certain ways as it sets up parameters for behavior. A temporary child custody and visitation arrangement is documented with the court, for example. Responsibility for mutual financial obligations is determined.
A decree of divorce can be automatically granted to either spouse six months after the start of the legal separation. The other spouse has no legal rights to protest this unless the two had an agreement documented with the court that does not allow the automatic conversion of legal separation to a decree of divorce.
