In American society, most people are dependent on electronic devices as a means of communication. For some people, posting status updates on Facebook, pictures on Instagram, and having conversations with multiple people at the same time through texting, is the way that they interact with others the most. And on social media platforms like Facebook,…
When a child is born to married parents, there is no need for either parent to take steps to establish their parental rights; Washington law presumes that a child born during a marriage is the legal child of both the mother and the father. When a child is born outside of a marriage, however, a…
Collaborative or cooperative divorce is a process available under Washington law that allows two spouses to work together with their lawyers to reach an agreement on all of the issues in their divorce that is acceptable to both of them. Lawyers involved in collaborative divorces have special training in mediation that makes the involvement of…
Washington law does not prohibit parties from getting a divorce if the wife is currently pregnant. However, there are some unique legal issues that are likely to arise in this context regarding the unborn child, whether the child is born during the marriage or in the months following the divorce. Individuals who find themselves in…
Grandparents often wonder whether they have any legal rights to see and visit with their grandchildren under Washington law. This is most often an issue when there is a strained relationship between grandparents and their own children, or some sort of family estrangement. Currently, however, Washington law does not provide for grandparents to have court-ordered…
There are two main ways under Washington law to legally establish paternity for a child who is born outside of a marriage. A father can sign a paternity acknowledgment form, which establishes him as the child’s legal father. Alternatively, a court can issue an order that establishes a man as the legal father of the…
The parenting plan and residential schedule that you and your ex develop or the court orders in your divorce or parentage case can be a difficult adjustment, especially for a parent who normally sees his or her children on a daily basis. However, it is even worse when one parent intentionally keeps the children from…
In the state of Washington, just like in many other states, there are laws in place to prevent one parent from taking his or her child and simply moving out of state or far away from the other parent. After all, it would be unfair to the noncustodial parent to allow the custodial parent to…
If you get divorced early in your child’s life, you are not likely to be thinking about how to pay for the child’s college education. Several years later, however, your child may be looking at attending college. As college tuition and related costs continue to skyrocket, resulting in unprecedented levels of student loan debt, you…