Children do best when they have strong and supported relationships with both of their parents. Your role is an important one, one that should be secured and supported. You do not have to get lost in the divorce and parenting plan processes. The court is guided by the “best interests of the child” principle. Whether we are working together to sort out your matters in court, mediation, or collaboration, we will make sure to uphold your priorities and work with you to put your children’s needs first.
You deserve an attorney who understands the importance of your role and the value you bring to your family. Our experienced family law attorneys will help you demonstrate the importance of your impact as a father to the court, mediator, and even to your ex.
Both parents are required to support their child in Washington State. Child support is a means to provide financial support for your child as they grow. If you have questions about paying or receiving child support, one of our family law attorneys can assess your unique situation and provide guidance.
If you have been raising your child together, then you are a co-parent. Two individuals trying to do what is in the best interests of their child are, by definition, co-parents. Co-parenting takes a little more practice and effort when the household is no longer intact and both parents have established separate lives.
Have a life, have friends, interests, maybe even a therapist; you are modeling success for your child.
Our team works with families where both parents have been working, where one has been working part-time, or where one parent stays home. No matter how your family has been supported financially, divorce can be a time of change.
Whether you have been staying at home or supporting your spouse in their parenting role, our experienced divorce attorneys can help you make a plan for the future to put your family’s economic security on track. We are here to help answer your questions, educate you about your options, and provide you the resources you need to plan for that next step.
As a dad, you have likely done everything you can to protect your children, to help ensure they can successfully transition to adulthood and thrive. Nothing can protect your children from the fact that one day you will no longer be with them. Investing in a comprehensive estate plan can help protect your minor child and their inheritance. A well-thought-out plan will allow your adult child to understand your wishes, ease their burden, and let them have time to focus on grieving.
Ensuring your estate plan is maintained and updated as your life changes are just as important as the initial creation. Our estate planning attorneys will work with you to determine the best tools to achieve your objectives and meet with you to make necessary adjustments.
The law makes it easy for people to get out of bad marriages. Washington, like most states, acknowledges no-fault divorce. This means that if you want a court to dissolve your marriage, all you have to do is file for…
Washington state’s laws on non-marital relationships, including committed intimate relationships (CIRs), can be convoluted, especially in the absence of a cohabitation agreement. Given the ambiguity that exists for unmarried partners in Washington state, thinking about the future and what it could look like is more important than ever. This is especially true in terms of aging, incapacity, and death. Fortunately, you can address each of these issues in a comprehensive estate plan.
Family law and estate planning often intersect. This is particularly true when contemplating divorce, remarriage, or blending families.
At some point during your divorce case, friends and family members whose own marriages ended in divorce probably told you that it gets better, and it does. Of course, from your perspective, getting out of a bad marriage might be…
Co-parenting over a long distance when you are a non-residential parent does not have to equate to sacrificing involvement in your children’s lives. But it likely does mean you will have to make tweaks in your communication and parenting style to accommodate the new living arrangement.
When parents go through a divorce, child custody can be one of the hardest issues to deal with. But increasingly in American households, pets are part of the family, and separating can create similar concerns over who gets the family pet.
In today’s world of fast-paced decision-making and on-demand solutions, such as DIY divorces, it is not surprising that many couples contemplate divorce the moment they find themselves unhappily married. Our culture’s fickle mentality often seems to advocate for the idea…
In the wake of divorce or separation, co-parenting can feel stressful. Not only have you just gone through an emotional experience, but you are also now trying to figure out how both you and your co-parent can spend time with…
Far too many families end up fighting, or at least experiencing tension, over a family inheritance, but it does not have to be that way. Having counseled families for years, we offer the following advice to help your family avoid fighting over your property — while you are here and after you die.
Establishing paternity and parentage is important for many families and parents. Regardless of why you want to establish paternity and parentage, the process has the potential to be confusing, especially if you are unfamiliar with the terms and rules for…
As a mom of four (now adult) kids, I remember well the flood of emotions that came each time they went to my ex’s, especially during the early days of my separation and eventually after my divorce. Not only was…
In Washington state, if you are involved in a custody dispute, which involves difficult questions related to specific needs for your children or serious parenting deficits (such as mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence), an evaluation service may be…
Divorce can be an emotionally grueling process, especially when you have children. In addition to coming to terms with how your own day-to-day is going to evolve, your children, too, will have to get used to seeing their lives change,…
For parents, divorce often raises many questions surrounding extracurricular activities. These questions usually include whether the children will get to participate in the extracurricular activities (sports, performing arts classes, music lessons, art classes, etc.) they did before the divorce, expanded…
Becoming a single parent, especially after being married and having a partner to share in the physical and emotional labor, can be a challenging transition. The role of single parent, even for those in a healthy co-parenting relationship with their…