Guides

Plain-English guides for every stage.

Written and reviewed by our lawyers. Start with the stage you are in now. These guides are general information for Oregon and Washington, not legal advice for your case.

Thinking about it

Just separated

Already filed

After the decree

Stage 1 of 4

Thinking about it

You have not decided yet, or you have and not told anyone. Quiet preparation now protects your options later.

Five things to do when you are thinking about divorce

Before you decide anything, a few quiet steps will protect you and keep your options open.

6 min read

Stage 2 of 4

Just separated

The first weeks set the pattern. Focus on the children, the money that pays the bills and a safe place to live.

Coat hooks on a green wall by the front door

Temporary orders: what they are and when you need one

Short-term rules for the children, the home and the bills while the divorce is in progress.

4 min read

Two cups and a children's picture book on a low table

How to talk to your children about separation

What to say, what not to say, and how to keep the conversation about them.

5 min read

Stage 3 of 4

Already filed

Your case has a number and deadlines. Here is what each step means and how to keep the cost under control.

A folder of financial papers next to a cup of tea

Financial disclosure: what it involves and how to prepare

Both sides must share their financial information. Here is how to make it painless.

7 min read

An empty café table with two chairs by a window

Mediation or court? How to choose

Most families never need a trial. Here is how to tell which path fits your situation.

5 min read

Stage 4 of 4

After the decree

Life keeps changing after the order. Plans can be updated, and orders can be enforced when they are ignored.

A child's backpack, a ball and a plant by a sunny wall

Changing a parenting plan after the judgment

Children grow and lives change. Here is how to update a plan without starting over.

4 min read

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