Can a civil union be dissolved without going to court?
In Washington, it is possible to dissolve a civil union without going to court. The process is called an administrative dissolution, and it is similar to how a marriage is legally dissolved. To do so, one of the partners needs to file a written agreement with the Office of the Secretary of State outlining the terms of the dissolution. The agreement must include the names and addresses of both partners, the date the civil union was established, and the date of dissolution. To complete the administrative dissolution, the partner filing the agreement must mail it to the Office of the Secretary of State with a $25 filing fee. The agreement must also include a self-addressed stamped envelope in order for the office to return a Certified Certificate of Dissolution. After the Office of the Secretary of State reviews the documents and determines that the dissolution meets the criteria for an administrative dissolution, the office will return the Certified Certificate of Dissolution to the address indicated in the self-addressed stamped envelope. In addition to the administrative dissolution process, a civil union can be dissolved through the court system if there are unresolved issues such as the division of assets, spousal support, or any other disputes. If one of the partners does not agree to the terms of the dissolution, then the dissolution must go through the court system for resolution.
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