Christopher S. Mulvaney,

Attorney and Counselor-at-Law

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THIS WEBSITE INCLUDES GENERAL INFORMATION & THE OPINIONS OF CHRISTOPHER S. MULVANEY. IT IS INTENDED TO STIMULATE A BASIS FOR QUESTIONS RELATED TO YOUR PARTICULAR FACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES — BEFORE YOU ACT.  THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU WANT LEGAL ADVICE, PLEASE MAKE A ZOOM APPOINTMENT TO SPEAK WITH ME.

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Gonzaga University School of Law – Spokane, Washington – Class of 2002 – Cum Laude The Latin phrase “Deo patriae, scientiis, artibus” translates to “For God and country through sciences and arts”.  The initials A.M.D.G. on the seal of Gonzaga Law School stand for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, which is Latin for “For the Greater Glory of God” the Motto of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits): a Catholic religious order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

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In Washington State, a no-fault divorce means that neither spouse needs to prove fault or wrongdoing (like infidelity or abuse) to obtain a divorce. 

The only requirement is that one spouse states the marriage is “irretrievably broken”. This simplifies the divorce process and reduces conflict by eliminating the need to assign blame. 

Factors such as adultery or other marital misconduct do not directly affect property division or spousal support in Washington.

I had a litigated divorce case in which the wife had a video of her husband cheating that she wanted to show to the Court. The Court not only did not permit the video to be shown, but forbade any mention of the existence of the video. The video was irrelevant to a litigated divorce. Divorce by mail works differently. I had a divorce by mail case in which the husband felt bad about cheating on his wife and gave her several hundred thousand dollars. The Court signed the Decree and didn’t even know what the Parties had done because the values of the assets are not required to be disclosed in divorce by mail.

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

Property division: While fault isn’t required for divorce itself, it can still be considered when dividing property or determining spousal support, particularly in cases of financial misconduct, abuse, or other actions that negatively impact the marital estate. 

In limited situations, such as when a spouse has deliberately decreased their income to avoid support obligations or has hidden assets, the court might consider such behavior in financial matters.

In cases involving children, the Court may consider a parent’s misconduct if it affects the children’s health, safety, or welfare. 

No need to prove fault: Unlike fault-based divorce systems, where one spouse has to prove the other’s misconduct, Washington’s no-fault system doesn’t require this. 

“Irretrievably broken”: The legal grounds for divorce in Washington is simply that the marriage cannot be saved. 

Simplified process: This approach streamlines the divorce process, as it doesn’t involve lengthy investigations or court battles over who is to blame for the marriage’s failure. 

Privacy and reduced conflict: By not requiring the airing of grievances, no-fault divorce can help maintain privacy and reduce conflict between the parties. 

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Washington State residents can meet with me in Zoom/DocuSign from anywhere in the world, and I can notarize their electronic signatures because I am a remote online notary.  Just email me an image of your photo ID.