If you need an Everett divorce lawyer, our family law firm is a few blocks from the Snohomish County Courthouse. We handle divorces, parenting plans, child support, spousal maintenance, protection orders, and prenuptial agreements for people in Everett and across Snohomish County, from Mukilteo, Lynnwood and Mill Creek to Marysville, Lake Stevens, Monroe, and Arlington. Most of our clients have never been to court before. Our job is to explain what's going to happen, give you a straight answer about where you stand, and handle the case so you can keep working and parenting while it moves.
Every divorce filed in Snohomish County is heard at the Snohomish County Courthouse in downtown Everett. Every Washington divorce follows the same statute, but Snohomish County's local rules shape how your case actually runs. A few things to know up front:
We walk through all of it, step by step, in our guide to how a divorce actually works in Snohomish County.
Divorce and legal separation. Agreed and contested divorces, including cases with a house, retirement accounts, stock compensation, or a family business.
Parenting plans and custody. Temporary and final parenting plans, relocation, and modifications when a schedule stops working.
Child support and spousal maintenance. Setting support, modifying it when income changes, and maintenance for a spouse who stepped back from work to raise the family.
Property and business division. Separate versus community property, valuation of a business or practice, and what happens to the house.
Domestic violence protection orders. Asking for a protection order, or responding to one.
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Drafting and reviewing agreements, and what makes one hold up in a Washington divorce.
Unusual cases. Committed intimate relationships (unmarried couples), cases involving Tulalip Tribal Court, and international cases under the Hague Abduction Convention.
Most of the people we work with are engineers, technicians, nurses, teachers, tradespeople, and small business owners. Many work at Boeing, in tech, or on the Navy base. They're organized people in a disorganized moment, and they want to know what the process is, what it's likely to cost, and what they should be doing right now. We answer those questions early and plainly.
We bill hourly against a retainer. For a divorce, the retainer is generally $10,000 to $15,000. What the whole case costs depends mostly on how many issues are disputed and whether it goes to trial. An agreed divorce costs a fraction of a contested one. We give you an estimate at the start and tell you when something changes it.
Court costs are separate. The filing fee in Snohomish County is $364 as of September 2026.
Trial experience. MacKenzie Dunham has years of trial experience, including a month-long contested divorce over a multi-million-dollar company. Cases that are ready for trial settle on better terms, so we prepare every contested case for trial.
Local practice. Our office is at 3228 Broadway in Everett. We're in the Snohomish County Courthouse most weeks, and we know how its calendars, commissioners, and local rules work. MacKenzie is a member of the Snohomish County Bar Association and its Family Law Section.
Straight answers. If the law isn't on your side on an issue, we'll tell you, and we'll tell you what we'd do about it.
“I worked with MacKenzie Dunham out of Daniel's office. I found the group to be exceptionally well versed in Washington state law. Even without the good outcome, I would have still recommended them as incredible experts in law. They guided me against my former spouse and her motions, always staying focused on the goal. I could not give a better rating.”
Mike C., Avvo and Google, April 2026
“Daniel and his team are compassionate, patient, accessible and very experienced. He is a straight shooter and is highly respected in the court room.”
Jeff, Avvo, May 2025
“Daniel is an exceptional attorney, compassionate, attentive, and truly committed to his clients. He listens carefully, responds promptly, and provides thoughtful, strategic guidance through even the most painful parts of divorce. Unlike many attorneys, I never felt financially drained or nickel-and-dimed; his pricing was fair and never exploitative of the difficult situation I was in.”
Carl, Avvo, August 2025
Write down your date of separation and what happened that day. Gather the last two years of tax returns, your recent pay stubs, and a current statement for every bank, retirement, and investment account. Parents should write down the current schedule as it actually works. If someone has served you, note the date. If you were served in Washington, you have 20 days to file a response.
Don't move money between accounts, cancel insurance, or move out with the children before you talk to a lawyer. The automatic temporary order may already apply to you.
Maybe not. Many divorces settle, and agreed final orders are often presented at the court's ex parte calendar without the client appearing. If there are temporary orders or a trial, you'll need to be there.
Usually yes. Washington lets you file in the county where you live. If your spouse lives in King or Island County, there may be a choice of courts.
At least 90 days. Agreed cases often finish soon after that. Contested cases in Snohomish County commonly take 12 to 18 months to reach trial. More in how long a divorce takes in Snohomish County.
Yes. We also handle family law cases in Island County, King County, and Skagit County.
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Law Offices of Daniel Ehrlich, PLLC, 3228 Broadway Ave, Everett, WA 98201. Call (425) 954-5578 or schedule a consultation.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.
