Everett Child Custody
Everett child custody lawyers – Get help from experienced legal professionals
Of all the issues you will face during the divorce process, child custody issues will likely be the most contentious. No parent wants to lose daily contact with their children or the ability to raise them in the way that they see fit. Whether you and your former spouse agree to a divorce or it’s contested, we urge you to speak with a qualified Everett divorce lawyer about this all-important topic.
Other issues related to child custody that you may have to address include financial support and visitation rights, and sometimes non-parents seek parenting rights. When it’s time to make difficult choices in regard to child custody, you need a legal professional by your side that you implicitly trust.
Parents facing a divorce often have questions, and rightfully so. Some of the questions we most commonly hear include:
- How does the court determine who gets custody of my children?
- Can I work with my ex-spouse to create a parenting plan without a judge intervening?
- What happens if my spouse and I cannot agree on child custody arrangements?
- How does visitation work regarding a parenting plan?
- If I’m not the child’s parent, can I get legal custody?
The Everett child custody attorneys at the law office of Jason S. Newcombe can help you navigate the complex legal waters that govern family law. The first step is understanding your rights as a parent and how your children may be affected during and after the divorce process.
With more than 50 years of collective experience dealing with sensitive family law issues, you can put your trust in the Washington State child custody lawyers at our firm. We offer a free consultation, which means you can get answers about parenting plans and child custody without spending any money.
Contact us today and make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect the future of your beloved children.
How family law judges determine who gets custody of children
Judges consider a variety of factors when determining which parent gets custody of a child. These factors include:
- Whether the parents can work together
- The family’s decision-making history regarding child rearing
- The geographical proximity of the parents
- The nature of the child’s relationship with each parent
- The child’s emotional needs
- The mental health of each parent
- How each parent attends to the child’s daily needs
- The child’s ability to adjust to new schooling or home life
- The child’s relationship with other family members and siblings
- Whether domestic violence was involved
- Parental employment and daily schedule
- Anything else relevant to the child’s well being
Understanding Parenting Plans and how they work
Child custody issues are addressed in a document called a parenting plan, and the nature of this plan is outlined in Washington state legal statutes. In its totality, the plan addresses the following:
- The decision-making rights of each parent
- The child’s residential provisions
- Children’s visitation schedules for school vacations and holidays
- Child support requirements
- Who transports children when they visit
- How disputes are resolved between parents
Take a moment to review statute RCW 26.09.184 from the Washington State Legislature website. The goals of a parenting plan are described as follows:
Permanent parenting plan.
(1) OBJECTIVES. The objectives of the permanent parenting plan are to:
(a) Provide for the child’s physical care;
(b) Maintain the child’s emotional stability;
(c) Provide for the child’s changing needs as the child grows and matures, in a way that minimizes the need for future modifications to the permanent parenting plan;
(d) Set forth the authority and responsibilities of each parent with respect to the child, consistent with the criteria in RCW 26.09.187 and 26.09.191;
(e) Minimize the child’s exposure to harmful parental conflict;
(f) Encourage the parents, where appropriate under RCW 26.09.187 and 26.09.191, to meet their responsibilities to their minor children through agreements in the permanent parenting plan, rather than by relying on judicial intervention; and
(g) To otherwise protect the best interests of the child consistent with RCW 26.09.002.
Kindly note that the statute also outlines dispute resolution and the allocation of decision-making authority.
No topic is more thoroughly covered in Washington family law statutes than child custody because the well-being of children is considered the highest priority of the divorce process.
Why problems arise when crafting a parenting plan
Problems arise when two divorcing parents have a different opinion about what’s in the best interest of their children. This can be problematic because if you and your ex-partner are unable to agree on a parenting plan, a judge will step in and make those decisions for you.
Every Everett family law lawyer in our firm believes that parents should direct the course of their children’s lives. However, when child custody issues become acrimonious, negotiations may be damaged and children may suffer undue emotional anxiety. For this reason, we urge clients to do everything in their power to maintain their emotional composure and work with their former spouse to craft a parenting plan that each party can agree on.
Sometimes, this simply isn’t possible, especially in the situations where your former partner and their attorney are being unreasonable or outright malicious. In situations like these, we are not afraid to take your case all the way to court and fight to ensure you have a voice in your children’s lives and their futures.
This aggressive yet compassionate approach to family law is designed to ensure that child custody issues are resolved favorably. Your Washington child custody attorney may not always tell you what you want to hear, but they will tell you what you need to hear.
Because the court prioritizes the child’s well-being, you may have to make decisions that are difficult. However, the role of your attorney is to provide you with essential legal guidance that will help you make difficult decisions in the best interest of your family.
Long-term considerations related to child custody
Once your divorce is finalized, the parenting plan outlines each parent’s responsibilities and rights. These issues include child custody, child support, and visitation, among others.
Most parents consider the long-term challenges that their child might face, depending on their physical and mental health. Most parents also want to have a say in the religious upbringing of their children, and their education.
As mentioned above, when parents disagree on these important child-rearing issues, negotiations can become emotionally charged. If you fail to maintain your composure because your former partner says things that aren’t true or for some other reason, it’s possible that negotiations will fail.
Our attorneys understand how difficult child custody issues can be, which is why we act as your compassionate counselor and personal advocate. This is how your Everett child custody lawyer earns your trust. Trust is essential when it’s necessary to outline options and make choices in the spirit of compromise.
More Snohomish County resources related to child custody.
Child custody issues are complex, so the Snohomish County government provides additional resources related to this important issue. The county services website has a wealth of resources.
Frequently, a temporary parenting plan is needed to protect the child’s well-being between the time when the dissolution of the marriage is filed and the completion of the divorce process. This is covered under Statute RCW 26.09.197, entitled, Issuance of a temporary parenting plan—Criteria.
The statute states that when making a determination regarding temporary parenting plans, the court will consider “The relative strength, nature, and stability of the child’s relationship with each parent; and which parenting arrangements will cause the least disruption to the child’s emotional stability while the action is pending.”
One parent may file a temporary parenting plan with the court and the other parent may contest the plan. Parents may also enter into an agreed temporary parenting plan and this is issued as a temporary order.
Protecting children is always a priority
If you’re in an abusive relationship or one where your child is being abused, we urge you to get help immediately. You will find another page on this website pertaining to protective orders and restraining orders. We can help you obtain court-mandated relief from an abuser and then focus on the long-term protection of you and your child by filing for divorce and addressing child custody issues.
Sometimes abusive spouses are afraid to petition the court for protection because they are afraid of retaliation. This is totally understandable and a symptom of ongoing abuse. However, protection orders and restraining orders are almost always followed.
When you contact one of our Everett family law attorneys about serious issues involving abuse or child custody, we maintain strict discretion.
Contact our Everett law office and get help with your child custody issues
Obviously, there is a lot to consider when it comes to child custody issues. We urge you to contact one of our Snohomish county child custody lawyers today and take advantage of our free consultation offer. Developing a strategy designed to protect your children’s best interests takes time, experience, and dedication. We are ready to help.
