Port Orchard Divorce Lawyers Deliver Effective Guidance

Washington attorneys help spouses safeguard their interests

Divorce can be one of the most stressful and emotionally wrenching experiences of your life. As a result, you’ll want to make sure that your attorney has the experience and skill that you need to guide you through unfamiliar, rough waters. In their 90 years of experience, the divorce lawyers at GSJones Law Group, P.S. have seen it all. With office in Port Orchard, our firm is committed to helping you to help you reach the best outcome with the least amount of stress and emotional disturbance possible. We want you to get on with your life as easily and quickly as possible but are always prepared to litigate when that’s the best way to obtain a proper result in high-conflict divorces and complex disputes over parenting and financial issues.

Skillful family lawyers advise on property division and other issues

Working with a qualified family law attorney will help you understand the rules that govern marriage dissolution within Washington, such as the provisions relating to:

  • No-fault divorce — All Washington divorces are granted on a no-fault basis. This means that the marriage is legally terminated because the relationship is irretrievably broken, not based on spousal misconduct, such as adultery.
  • Uncontested divorce — Couples can take advantage of the simpler divorce by agreement process if all terms relating to custody, child support, property division and other dissolution matters are uncontested. In these cases, one party files the Petition that includes the mutually acceptable language and the recipient then files an Agreement, which joins the parties as they look to have their settlement formalized into an order.  
  • Property division — Nearly all of the assets acquired by either spouse over the course of a marriage are considered community property under state law. The exceptions are gifts or inheritances designated to just one spouse. Our firm looks to establish a fair allocation of marital assets and debts through negotiation but is prepared to advocate for our clients in court if necessary. State law dictates that, when a judge distributes community property, the outcome must be “fair and equitable” and need not be a 50/50 split in value.

At each stage of the process, you can rely on one of our accomplished divorce lawyers to answer your questions and safeguard your interests. Our team includes:

  • John Groseclose, Partner, also serves as a court-appointed guardian ad litem, representing the interests of children.
  • David Jones, Managing Partner, has 25 years of family law experience in Kitsap County.
  • Kathleen Rice, Of Counsel, uses her skills in negotiation and legal communication to make the divorce process easier and clearer for clients.

Our divorce lawyers work as a team, consulting with one another to strengthen our clients’ cases. In addition to the three attorneys above, we add other firm lawyers with divorce experience when they can help clients. That means that if you have a family law emergency and your attorney is not available, there is always a proven matrimonial litigator ready to assist you.

Experienced legal counselors handle child custody arrangements

Setting up an appropriate parenting plan is critical for mothers and fathers who want to give their children the best chance to thrive after a difficult time. With the counsel of an experienced child custody lawyer, you can develop a thorough strategy that allows you to negotiate fair terms relating to decision-making authority, residence and visitation. If you can’t reach consensus with your co-parent, our firm will outline the factors that the court might use to create a parenting plan order. We also advise on the process required to modify existing arrangements.

Dedicated advocates work to secure favorable alimony terms

Spousal maintenance, often referred to as alimony, can be awarded in situations where one spouse earned all or most of the household income. Generally, if post-divorce support payments are required, the duration is tied to how long the marriage lasted. Courts also examine factors such as each party’s earning ability and the couple’s standard of living while the union was intact. Unless the marriage lasted 25 years or more or the spouse seeking maintenance cannot work outside the home for some reason, payments are usually not meant to be a permanent means of support, but a way for someone to meet their needs until they can get the education or experience they require to earn a suitable income and support themselves.    

Contact an experienced Kitsap County divorce lawyer to discuss your options  

GSJones Law Group, P.S. provides comprehensive legal counsel for Washington residents who are going through a divorce. Please call 360-876-9221 or contact us online to schedule an appointment at our office in Port Orchard.