Washington Family Law Flashcards

Washington is a no-fault divorce state. Under RCW 26.09.030, the only ground for dissolution of marriage is:

Answer: Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage

Washington's dissolution statute requires only that the marriage is 'irretrievably broken' — no fault or specific grounds need be proven.

Under the Washington Parenting Act (RCW 26.09.187), the primary factor in creating a parenting plan is:

Answer: The best interests of the child

RCW 26.09.187 requires the court to approve a parenting plan that serves the best interests of the child, which is the paramount consideration in all custody determinations.

In Washington, how is separate property treated upon dissolution of marriage?

Answer: Separate property is awarded to the owning spouse, but the court has discretion to allocate it justly

Under RCW 26.09.080, Washington courts may distribute all property, including separate property, 'justly and equitably,' giving the court discretion to consider fairness in distribution.

Under Washington law, which of the following creates a presumption of paternity?

Answer: The man and mother were married at the time of the child's birth

Under RCW 26.26A.115, a man is presumed to be a child's parent if he was married to the woman when the child was born or if the marriage ended fewer than 300 days before the birth.

Washington's Domestic Violence Prevention Act (RCW 26.50) authorizes courts to issue a protection order with an ex parte temporary restraining order based on:

Answer: A petitioner's sworn statement showing reasonable grounds to believe domestic violence occurred

A Washington ex parte temporary protection order may be issued based on the petitioner's sworn declaration showing reasonable grounds to believe domestic violence occurred, without the respondent's presence.

Under Washington's child support guidelines (RCW 26.19), how is the basic child support obligation calculated?

Answer: Based on the combined monthly net income of both parents from standardized economic tables

Washington's child support schedule uses the combined monthly net income of both parents and applies economic tables (RCW 26.19.020) to determine the basic support obligation.