'Deadliest Catch' star Jake Anderson, 45, and his estranged wife Jenna are fighting over child support, spousal support, the parenting plan, and their separation date in a Washington divorce filed after 13 years of marriage, according to TMZ. For Washington residents, the separation-date dispute matters most: it determines what property is community and what support is owed.
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What happened | Jake Anderson confirmed his split from wife Jenna on the Season 22 premiere of Deadliest Catch; July filings reveal disputes over support and parenting |
| When | Split confirmed on-screen 2026; new filings July 2026 |
| Where | Washington State |
| Who's affected | Jake and Jenna Anderson and their three children |
| Key issues | Separation date, spousal support, parenting plan, child support |
| Key statute | RCW 26.16.140 (property acquired after separation); RCW 26.19 (child support schedule) |
| Impact | Nearly $1 million home sale proceeds subject to community-property division |
Why this matters legally
The separation date is the single most consequential fact in this Washington divorce because it draws the line between community and separate property. Under RCW 26.16.140, earnings and accumulations of each spouse after the date they stop living together as a marital community are that spouse's separate property. When a couple disputes the separation date, as Jake and Jenna reportedly do, they are really fighting over which paychecks, bonuses, and assets get split.
Washington is one of nine community-property states. That means most property acquired during the marriage is presumptively owned 50/50, and the court divides it in a manner that is "just and equitable" under RCW 26.09.080. The nearly $1 million in proceeds from selling the couple's Washington home is a community asset unless one spouse can trace separate-property contributions. A just and equitable division does not automatically mean an even split, but community property is the starting point.
A crab-fishing career adds a wrinkle. Jake's long absences at sea, which he cited as a reason for the split, do not by themselves change the marital community's existence. Washington courts look at whether spouses intended to end the marriage and stopped functioning as a marital unit, not merely whether one spouse was physically away for work.
How Washington law handles this
Washington calculates child support using an income-shares model set out in RCW 26.19.020, which ties the basic support obligation to both parents' combined monthly net income and the number and ages of the children. For three children, the economic table produces a higher combined obligation, then each parent pays a share proportional to their income. A high-earning reality-TV fisherman can expect a substantial number, and parents can estimate figures using our child support calculator.
Spousal support, called spousal maintenance in Washington, is governed by RCW 26.09.090. Courts weigh the length of the marriage, the standard of living during the marriage, each spouse's financial resources, and the time needed for the requesting spouse to become self-supporting. A 13-year marriage is long enough that maintenance is a live question; Jake reportedly argues it is "not needed," while Jenna disagrees. There is no fixed formula in Washington, so outcomes vary widely, and you can model scenarios with our alimony estimator.
The parenting plan is separate from support. Under RCW 26.09.187, Washington courts craft a residential schedule based on the best interests of the child, giving weight to each parent's past involvement and the child's relationships. A parent whose job requires months at sea will need a realistic schedule that accounts for those absences. Learn how these documents work in our overview of parenting plans, and see how residential time affects support with our parenting time calculator.
Because three children are involved, child custody decisions and child support obligations will run in parallel with the property fight, and each affects the other.
Practical takeaways
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Pin down your separation date early. Under RCW 26.16.140, the date you stopped living as a marital community controls what property stays separate. Document the date with texts, moved-out records, or new leases.
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Trace the home-sale proceeds. Nearly $1 million from a home sale is presumptively community property, but separate-property down payments or inheritances can be traced. Keep bank records showing the source of every dollar.
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Run the child support numbers before you negotiate. Washington's RCW 26.19 schedule is formula-driven, so both parents should calculate the presumptive obligation for three children before agreeing to any figure.
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Build a parenting plan around real work schedules. If one parent works long stretches away, propose a residential schedule under RCW 26.09.187 that reflects that reality instead of a standard week-on/week-off template.
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Treat maintenance as negotiable, not automatic. Washington has no maintenance formula, so a 13-year marriage can produce very different results depending on income disparity and self-sufficiency arguments.
If you are facing a Washington divorce with disputed property, support, or a parenting plan, a personalized divorce roadmap can help you map your next steps, and you can find a divorce attorney who handles high-asset and support-contested cases.
This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Consult a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.