(1) Every court order or decree establishing a spousal maintenance obligation may state that if any such payment is more than fifteen days past due and the total of such past due payments is equal to or greater than one hundred dollars or if the obligor requests a withdrawal of accumulated contributions from the department of retirement systems, the obligee may seek a mandatory benefits assignment order without prior notice to the obligor. Failure to include this provision does not affect the validity of the dissolution order.

Washington Code 41.50.010

Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.

(2) If the dissolution order under which the obligor owes the duty of spousal maintenance is not in compliance with subsection (1) of this section or if the obligee cannot show that the obligor has approved or received a copy of the court order or decree that complies with subsection (1) of this section, then notice shall be provided to the obligor at least fifteen days before the obligee seeks a mandatory benefits assignment order. The notice shall state that, if a spousal maintenance payment is more than fifteen days past due and the total of such past due payments is equal to or greater than one hundred dollars or if the obligor requests a withdrawal of accumulated contributions from the department of retirement systems, the obligee may seek a mandatory benefits assignment order without further notice to the obligor. Service of the notice shall be by personal service, or by any form of mail requiring a return receipt. The notice requirement under this subsection is not jurisdictional.

Severability—1991 c 365: See note following RCW 41.50.500.