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Washington Child Custody Attorneys

Need information about child custody in Washington State?

Looking for a good Washington custody attorney?  We can help.

Our Washington child custody attorneys are experienced and effective advocates.  We will protect you and your children.

Our Washington child custody attorneys know that your children are your life.  And, even the best of parents often struggle with the issue of child custody in their Washington divorce.  Indeed, for many of our Washington State divorce clients, this is most difficult issue that they face.  It is often complicated on many levels. 

Our Washington child custody attorneys are acutely aware of what's at stake when it comes to your children.  We understand that when caring parents are facing a divorce in Washington, child custody can be an emotionally-charged, overwhelming concern.  Our compassionate and experienced Washington child custody attorneys will work hard to ensure the safety of your children, while minimizing the impact that the divorce process has on their lives.

Reliable information and advice on Washington's child custody laws.

Your Washington child custody concerns demand immediate attention and accurate legal information.  If you’ve been looking for information about how Washington State child custody law works in a Washington divorce, you’ve probably already encountered a lot of strange-sounding terminology, like best interests of the children, parenting plans, joint custody, shared custody, primary residential custody, child visitation, child support, and endless others.

Some of these terms apply to Washington child custody determinations, while others have been modified by recent laws.  Washington State’s relatively new Parenting Act has revised Washington child custody laws in cases of divorce (dissolution of marriage) or legal separation.  The new Washington child custody law has abandoned the terms, "custody" and "visitation," referring instead to parenting plans, parenting functions, and residential schedules.

While the ideas are similar to traditional Washington child custody law, the terminology has changed.  Legal information websites or divorce form kits can contain outdated and inaccurate information about Washington child custody.  When the wrong move could affect your children’s future stability and happiness, mistakes are simply unacceptable.

Experienced Washington child custody attorneys with our firm are prepared to help you successfully navigate the Parenting Act and other applicable Washington child custody law. Our Washington child custody lawyers understand that the safety and interests of your children are at stake, and you can trust us to provide reliable information about Washington child custody.

Our Washington child custody attorneys will help you intelligently and effectively communicate with the judge deciding your custody case.

In Washington, child custody issues are decided by the court that handles divorce and other family law conflicts. The court that hears your Washington child custody case will make decisions based on the best interests of the children, a legal standard applied in all Washington child custody cases, whether the court is addressing the adequacy of a proposed Washington child custody agreement or the court is asked to decide a contested Washington child custody case.

You may be thinking that a total stranger couldn’t possibly know what is “best” for your children, and you are absolutely correct. The truth is that the Washington child custody court can’t make the best decisions if it never learns the right details about your unique family situation, but if you don’t have a Washington child custody attorney advocating on your behalf, the court will probably only ask you the same set of generalized questions that it asks every other custody litigant.

Your children are unique, and they deserve to have their futures determined on an informed basis that includes their individual circumstances, needs, and desires. To get that information to a Washington child custody court, you need to know what facts to point out, the legal arguments to make, what kinds of documents to file, and when and where to file them. It is nearly impossible to find adequate instructions on how to do-it-yourself from online child custody information websites, books about divorce, or forms packets from court clerks.

Our Washington child custody attorneys have studied, trained, and practiced for years to perfect their knowledge of Washington child custody law and procedure. The Washington child custody attorneys with our firm have the expertise necessary to provide a bridge of communication, and we will ensure that your Washington child custody court knows who your children are and what they really need. 

Washington child custody lawyers who start by listening.

Our Washington child custody attorneys start by listening to you, because the facts of every Washington child custody case are unique. We can help you take control of the innumerable concerns about your children that may be spinning around in your head, focusing them into clear statements of your children’s needs. Working with you, we will explain the requirements, the possibilities, and the limitations of Washington child custody law. Together, you and your Washington child custody attorney will formulate a plan of action, best designed to achieve legal protection for your children’s safety and happiness.

Parenting plans are now required by law in every Washington divorce, legal separation, or annulment that involves minor children. A parenting plan is a formal, written legal document, with multiple sections that address at least the following issues:

• Residential provisions: To determine where your children will live, and the visitation, or contact, they will have with each parent;
• Decision-making: To say who (mother, father, or both parents) will make major decisions (like those affecting the children’s education, health care, or religion);
• Dispute resolution procedures: To settle disagreements without going back to court;
• Limitations: To protect children, for example, by restricting contact with an abusive parent; and
  
• Child support: To ensure that your children’s basic needs are provided for.

If your spouse shares your determination to pursue the well-being of your children, then the two of you may be able to come to a divorce agreement that includes an agreed parenting plan, settling Washington child custody issues. In a contested Washington child custody case, you can rest assured, while our Washington child custody attorneys work tirelessly to ensure that the Washington child custody court’s decisions are made on a fully-informed basis and address the real needs of your children. You can depend on us to be there for your kids.

Call our offices now, and schedule a consultation with a Washington child custody attorney who can offer the solutions that are right for your family!