Your Instincts to Protect Your Children We understand and respect your urgency and instinct to protect and provide for your children. If you find they are in an unhealthy or possibly dangerous situation, you may find yourself scrambling for answers. You have options, and you are not alone. Though emergency custody is only granted in…
Child custody arrangements allow parents to share parenting responsibilities and privileges. But when the plan is no longer favorable, modifications are allowed. However, the grounds for altering the original plan are strict and specific. The court only allows a parent to alter a parenting plan if necessary. Evidence of the adverse effects of the current…
Restraining orders are commonly taken up against the non-custodial parent, and the situation is usually remedied by having supervised visitation. But when the custodial parent unleashes violence on the non-custodial parent, the solutions become more complicated. Many such parents wonder what might happen to their children, especially when they take a restraining order against the…
The reasons for a sole custody order will vary from case to case; some common reasons for a sole custody order are that the other parent is incarcerated, has drug or alcohol problems, lives out of state, the role of domestic violence, or is otherwise absent in the child’s life. In other cases, one parent may have just…
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,…
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…
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution that is designed to help people settle legal disputes outside of the courtroom. The courts in Benton, Franklin, Yakima and Walla Walla counties require all parties in most domestic relations cases to go to mediation. In mediation, a neutral third party called a mediator works with the…
Not every person who procreates is fit to be a parent. When a parent is abusive or neglectful to his or her children, the state can get involved and can terminate that person’s parental rights. If you are seeking to terminate a person’s parental rights on an involuntary basis, you should be aware of how…
Child abuse is a parent’s worst nightmare. While many parents are vigilant about protecting their children from strangers, often the abuser is much closer to home. If you believe that your child is being abused by your former spouse or partner, you need to take appropriate steps to protect your children. In an Emergency, Call…