Legal Question in Family Law in Washington

Re: Newspaper

You will need to make some effort to find your spouse so that you could do personal service (document the effort). You will need to file the Summons and Petition. With the documentary evidence of attempt to locate (and serve if appropriate) your spouse, you make an ex parte motion to serve by mail or publication.

The publication is made in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the action is brought once a week for six consecutive weeks.

The publication of summons is started after the filing of the complaint, and the service is complete at the end of the time prescribed for publication. The summons for publication must contain the date of the first publication, identify the other party upon whom service by publication is desired, require the person to appear and answer the complaint within sixty days from the date of the first publication of the summons, and contain a brief statement of the object of the action.