Mediation is a means of resolving all issues related to the parties’ divorce by agreement. It is an alternative to going to trial to resolve disputed claims. Most courts in Washington require the parties to mediate before going to trial, so you need to know what to expect and how to prepare. In divorce mediation, a mediator,…
Child Support is a monthly sum of money that one parent is ordered to pay the other parent for the care and support of a child. All parents have a legal duty to support their children. Child support is intended to help meet a child’s basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, childcare, and medical care.…
Washington does provide for the annulment or a “decree of invalidity” of marriages in certain cases. Most people want an annulment because they regret having married their spouses, or if they believe that the marriage was a sham. Annulments are rare and involve asking the court to declare the marriage never legally happened. You may…
Whether you can remove your child from the state of Washington without the others parent’s knowledge depends on the court ordered parenting plan. If your plan says you have to have permission or give notice to travel to another state, then you have to ask permission. If the parenting plan doesn’t say anything regarding travel…
During many marriages, it is not uncommon for one spouse to carry the family’s health insurance coverage through his or her employer. This is often the least expensive option for the family. However, if the spouses decide to divorce, you may no longer have access to continued health insurance coverage if your spouse traditionally has provided…
When you and your child’s other parent divorce or otherwise separate, one or both of you may turn to the Washington court system for orders related to your child, such as residential schedules and child support. The outcome of any type of family law proceeding involving children is a parenting plan, which sets forth the child’s residential schedule, or…
If you believe that you are in danger or another emergency situation, always call 911 first. However, if you are not in immediate danger, but you think you might need a restraining order with respect to a family member, you need to know the facts and the law about restraining orders in the state of…
For most children, medical needs include routine matters such as wellness checks, sports physicals, and the occasional sprain or broken bone. Some children, however, have ongoing medical needs or specialized medical needs that necessitate frequent doctor’s visits, therapy, and certain routine services performed at home by a parent or caregiver. When a special needs child…
A parent who either pays or receives child support can ask the court to change the child support order in certain circumstances. If the child support order is less than one year old, the parent must prove that there has been a substantial change in circumstances in order to get a child support modification. If the child…