Dictionary.com says that a “summons” is “a call or citation to appear before a court or a judicial officer” – basically, it’s a command to appear.
WHY YOU NEED IT
A summons is essentially a cover sheet for any lawsuit, including a dissolution (a.k.a. a divorce). It says you must respond within 20 days (or 60 days if you live outside of Washington). If you not respond within the 20 days, your soon-to-be ex can get a default judgment against you – generally not a good idea. All dissolution summonses are pretty much the same.
WHERE YOU GET IT
King County Superior Court has a link to the Washington Courts website. The tricky part is that some forms are county-specific and some are the same throughout the state. The Summons is a state-wide form, and you get it here.
Getting a divorce is way more complex than it probably should be. In fact, depending on your case, you could end up filling out 25 or 30 forms en route to your freedom. Think of it as Washington’s way of supporting the logging industry, one unhappy marriage at a time.
Don’t fret, though. We’re here to help. Because divorce can be such an overwhelming experience, we take a bite-sized approach, giving a brief explanation of just one form per article.
To get the ball rolling in order to file for divorce in King County, you just need to fill out 5 forms:
Here are some links to other sites that have lots of self-help documents. Unfortunately, these how-to guides are long and complex, and you might just think that it’s easier to stay married.
Still, these sites have lots of great, and sometimes unexpected, information – like a divorce guide in Bulgarian!
For those who’d rather not read a 76-page pdf, stay tuned here. Decoupling’s ongoing resource series will include literally dozens of other forms – one form at a time – that are either always or sometimes necessary for getting unhitched in King County.
Divorce is, obviously, a difficult process. But with a little help, you’ll at least be able to get through this morass of forms, to get the process going. It’s the first step to getting on with the rest of your life….
