Can Child Support Payments Be Made Directly to A Child?

Child support can be paid either directly to the parent who is owed support, or indirectly to the state of Washington. When a judge approves a child support order, that order will state how the child support should be paid. Some parents prefer to have payments handled through the state, so that the receiving parent…

Dealing with Debt in Divorce

Marital debts, just like marital assets, are fairly divided between spouses during a divorce. Because Washington is a community property state, all income, property, and debts that either spouse acquires during the marriage belongs to the marital estate, and must be split relatively equally between the spouses. The responsibility for a marital debt can be…

Understanding Consent and Revocation Times During an Adoption

Adopting a child is a lengthy, but exciting process. In an adoption, the legal relationship between biological parents and a child are terminated and a new legal relationship between adoptive parents and a child are created. Many adoptive parents cannot wait to take their child home permanently, and look forward to the day when the…