The legal standards and procedures for modifying court orders after your divorce depends largely on the type of modification you are looking for. Parenting plans, child support, and spousal support can be changed based on a substantial change in circumstance. Changing the division of assets and debts, on the other hand, are much more difficult to…
The laws of some states do recognize the concept of common law marriage, but Washington is not one of those states. Common law marriage typically means that a couple has lived together for a significant period of time and held them out as married. Although Washington does not recognize common law marriages, there are ways…
Divorce often takes the life to which you have grown accustomed and turns it upside down. You may feel uncertain, confused, lost, and lonely at various points during your divorce proceedings. As a result of all of this chaos in your life, it is no wonder that you want start dating and move toward a…
There is a lot of misinformation among the general public about divorce. Part of our job here at Pacific Northwest Family Law is to educate individuals on their rights and responsibilities with respect to divorce, as well as tell them how the divorce process really works. Here are some common misconceptions about Washington divorce law…
There are two basic ways that you can establish paternity in the state of Washington. Parents of a child who are unmarried can sign an Affidavit of Paternity, which is a document that legally establishes paternity for the child under Washington law. The Affidavit is sent to the Washington State Department of Health, which then adds the…
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.…
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…
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 guardian ad litem (GAL), who is also referred to an investigator or a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) is a person appointed by the court to make recommendations about the custody or visitation rights. Either parent can ask the court to appoint a GAL, usually if there are important issues about the safety or well-being of…