Can I file for a divorce without going to court in a military divorce?

The answer to the question is no, you cannot file for a divorce without going to court in a military divorce. While all states have laws that allow military spouses to obtain a divorce without going through the court system, Washington does not. In Washington, divorcing military couples must use the court system to obtain a divorce. This means that military couples must file for a divorce in court and proceed with the divorce process in the same way civilian couples do. To begin the process, one spouse must complete a petition for dissolution of marriage and file it with the court. The other spouse must then be served with a copy of the petition and respond to it with a written answer within a certain time frame. After this paperwork has been filed and served, the spouses must attend a case management conference with the court to discuss issues such as the division of marital property and spousal support, among other things. The court may also require the spouses to attend mediation or to engage in other types of settlement negotiations. Once all of the issues have been agreed upon or decided by the court, the judge will enter a final order of dissolution of marriage. In summary, while other states allow military couples to obtain a divorce without going through the court system, this is not the case in Washington. Divorcing military couples must file for a divorce in court, go through the same process as any other divorce, and attend a case management conference and/or engage in other settlement negotiations before the judge will enter a final order of dissolution of marriage.

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