Washington DC High Net Worth Divorce
Divorce in the District of Columbia changed materially in 2024. Under D.C. Law 25-115, effective 26 January 2024, the District has a single ground for divorce. There is no separation period requirement and there are no fault grounds. A great deal of older material about District divorce describes a regime that no longer exists. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. handles District matters. Call (888) 437-7747.
What the 2024 Change Did
The prior framework required parties to have lived separate and apart for a defined period before a divorce could be granted, and it recognised fault grounds. Both are gone. The practical effect is that the timing of a District divorce is no longer governed by a waiting period, which removes a source of leverage that used to shape negotiation. Anyone relying on advice or an article predating January 2024 is working from superseded law.
Property Division in the District
The District distributes property equitably, weighing statutory factors rather than applying a fixed split. Where the estate contains a closely held business, equity compensation, trust interests, or property acquired before the marriage and carried with marital funds, the case turns on classification and valuation in the same way it would elsewhere, but under the District’s own factors and case law rather than those of Virginia or Maryland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be separated before filing in DC?
No. Under D.C. Law 25-115, effective 26 January 2024, the District has a single ground for divorce with no separation period requirement. Sources describing a required period of living separate and apart predate that change.
Are there fault grounds in the District?
No. Fault grounds were eliminated by the 2024 legislation. Conduct may remain relevant to other questions in a case, but it is not a ground for the divorce itself.
Which jurisdiction should hear my case?
Where residence requirements are satisfied in more than one, the choice can affect the property analysis, the treatment of business goodwill, and support. That decision is worth making before anything is filed rather than after.
About Mr. Sris
Mr. Sris, Owner and Founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor, and that experience shapes how he builds a documentary record. He is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. His background at George Mason University in accounting and information systems applies to complex financial and technology-related cases, which is where a contested property dispute usually turns. Mr. Sris and the firm’s Of Counsel attorneys handle these matters together, with the division of work set at the start of the engagement.
Speak With Mr. Sris
Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Bring tax returns, statements for every account, any agreement signed before or during the marriage, entity documents for any business interest, and a short written timeline. That material lets the first conversation move past intake and into the questions that decide the case.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
This page provides general information and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The law differs between states, and nothing here is a substitute for advice about your own circumstances. Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Results may vary.
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