Divorce Lawyer and Family Law Attorney in Washington County, Minnesota

Washington County Divorce and Family Law Attorney

Looking for a Washington County divorce attorney? If you are facing a divorce, custody dispute, or other family law problem in Washington County, Minnesota, you don’t have to sort it out alone.

Washington County is home base for Majeski Law. Our office is in Lake Elmo. Most of our clients live or work somewhere between Forest Lake and Cottage Grove. If you want a Washington County divorce attorney close to home, our office is in the center of the county.

Our free articles explain how Minnesota law handles the issues people ask about most:

• Divorce
• Child custody
• Parenting time
• Child support
• Spousal maintenance (alimony)

This page covers what is specific to Washington County. That includes where your case is filed, what to expect from the court, and how we can help.

A Washington County Family Law Office

Majeski Law is at 8530 Eagle Point Boulevard, Suite 100, in Lake Elmo. We are just off I-94 at the Inwood Avenue (County Road 13) exit. Our office was previously in Woodbury.

From here, Woodbury and Oakdale are minutes away. The courthouse in Stillwater is about 15 minutes away. See directions to our office for routes from every direction.

We practice in Washington County every week. As a result, we know how its family court runs. For example, we know how hearings are scheduled and what steps the court expects before trial. We also know the local mediators, evaluators, and parenting consultants that cases are often sent to.

Washington County Communities We Serve

We represent clients from every city and township in Washington County. They include:

• Central: Lake Elmo, Oakdale, Woodbury, Afton, West Lakeland Township, Lakeland, Lakeland Shores, Lake St. Croix Beach, and St. Mary’s Point
• Stillwater and the St. Croix Valley: Stillwater, Stillwater Township, Oak Park Heights, Bayport, Baytown Township, and Marine on St. Croix
• North: Forest Lake, Hugo, Scandia, May Township, Grant, Mahtomedi, Dellwood, Willernie, Pine Springs, and Birchwood Village
• South: Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Grey Cloud Island Township, Denmark Township, and part of Hastings

A few cities cross county lines. For instance, parts of White Bear Lake and Hastings are in Washington County. If you live on the Washington County side, your case would normally be filed here.

Where Is a Washington County Family Case Filed?

• Divorce: You can file in the county where either spouse lives. One spouse must have lived in Minnesota for at least 180 days.
• Custody between unmarried parents: The case is usually filed in the county where the child lives.
• Your court: For Washington County residents, that means Washington County District Court. It is part of Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District.

Family cases are heard at the Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater.

However, many hearings are now held by video, especially short ones. Your court notice will say if you need to appear in person.

What to Expect in a Washington County Divorce or Custody Case

Every case is different. Still, most Washington County family cases follow the same basic path:

• Filing and service. One party serves a petition on the other and files it with the court. If you were just served with divorce papers, you generally have 30 days to respond.
• First court date. This is usually an Initial Case Management Conference (ICMC). The judge reviews the issues and sets a plan.
• Trying to settle. Like other metro counties, Washington County expects most parties to try mediation or early neutral evaluation first. Cases involving domestic abuse are an exception.
• Parent education. Parents are usually ordered to take an approved parent education class by a set deadline.
• Settlement or trial. Most cases settle. If yours does not, a judge decides at trial.

How long all this takes depends on how much you agree on. Our article on how long a divorce takes in Minnesota explains the timelines. Our article on the cost of divorce covers fees. Court filing fees vary slightly by county.

Recent Changes in Minnesota Family Law

Some important rules have changed in the last few years:

• Spousal maintenance. Since August 1, 2024, “temporary” and “permanent” maintenance are called transitional and indefinite maintenance. In addition, the length of the marriage now creates presumptions about whether, and how long, maintenance is paid. See alimony in Minnesota.
• Parenting time. The 2024 changes gave courts stronger tools when court-ordered parenting time is denied. These include make-up (compensatory) parenting time and possible fees or other sanctions.
• Child support. Minnesota sets support using income-shares guidelines, which are updated from time to time. See how much child support is in Minnesota.

How Majeski Law Can Help

Majeski Law is a divorce and family law firm in Lake Elmo, led by attorney Matt Majeski. Matt founded the firm in 2009. Since then, he has focused only on divorce and family law.

We help Washington County clients with:

• Divorce and legal separation
• Custody and parenting time
• Child support
• Spousal maintenance (alimony)
• Property and debt division
• Grandparent rights
• Orders for protection
• Changes to an existing order (post-decree modifications)

Not sure you need a lawyer? Our article Should I Hire a Divorce Attorney? can help you decide. You can also read our client testimonials.

Schedule a Consultation with a Washington County Divorce Lawyer

Consultations can be held in person at our Lake Elmo office, by phone, or by video. Before you meet, you may want to read about consultations with a divorce lawyer and what happens at a first meeting.

Have another question? See our divorce and family law FAQ.

Majeski Law, LLC
8530 Eagle Point Boulevard, Suite 100
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Directions to our office

Live somewhere else in the metro? See our Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka, Hennepin, and Chisago county pages. You can also see the full list of areas we serve.

Related reading: Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE and FENE).