Oregon Legal Research Blog
We often get asked about family law and divorce. There are a lot of variations – married or unmarried couples, with or without children. This is one topic the court has forms for. The trick can be finding the right form.
The Washington County Circuit Court’s forms page has several “Family Law” forms. Dissolution is the term they use for divorce, while legal separation leaves the parties married. There are also forms for unmarried parents. If you find forms that look right for you, read the instructions to be sure. There are other family law forms as well, for things like modification or custody enforcement.
A resource for information about family law in Oregon is OregonLawHelp – Family. This site from Legal Aid discusses a variety of topics including divorce, custody, child or spousal support, etc.
Nolo Press has self-help books on divorce and child custody, among other topics. While not Oregon specific, these can help explain the general legal concepts and processes. You can find those at your local public library or online via the State of Oregon Law Library. You can then drill down into Oregon law with the Oregon State Bar’s practice guide on Family Law in Oregon – available through your local law library.
The Law Library’s Now What?! legal presentation series has a video “So you want to ger a divorce. Now What?!” In addition, the courts have some self-help videos on family law topics.
The courts also have a Family Law Assistance Program. They can inform parties of court processes and available court forms, review documents, and provide information about other resources and services.
Finally, if you want to talk to an attorney, the Oregon State Bar has a lawyer referral service.