Family Law

Growing your family through adoption is a joyous occasion. To ensure everything is done properly, we prepare all legal documents, notify the required agencies, finalize the case in court, and more.

When parents end their relationship, their children are often caught in the middle. Deciding where the children live can be complicated, emotional, and costly. We will fight in court or help you resolve custody issues amicably, if possible.

All minor children of divorced or separated parents deserve financial support from both parents. Washington law dictates how support is calculated, how it is paid, and when it terminates.

This is the legal proceeding that terminates a marriage or domestic partnership. All related issues must be addressed including child placement (custody), financial support for minor children and/or spouses, division of property and debts, and more.

After a divorce is finalized and financial obligations established, certain events might trigger a modification of these obligations. We can explain these triggering events and how they affect your specific circumstances and guide you through the complicated process of modification.

Sometimes someone other than a natural parent may seek custody of a minor child. If the parents are unable to care for the child due to incompetency, incarceration, death, or other legal factors, a grandparent or other third party may petition the court for custody.

Certain people, such as grandparents may request visitation with a minor child under specific circumstances. We can explain if your situation qualifies for a visitation petition, even if you are not the child’s parent.

This document explains which parent will have physical custody of mutual children and a multitude of details ranging from daycare and after school activities to private schooling, college expenses, and healthcare. If the parents don’t agree, these issues can lead to costly and emotional battles.

This court action establishes the legal relationship between a child and a parent. Paternity can be presumed in a married couple, established by consent, surrogacy or adoption, or proven through court-ordered genetic testing. Once paternity is established, a parenting plan, support obligations, and other issues must be resolved.

In a divorce, the parties’ assets and debts must be divided equitably, not necessarily equally. The parties can reach an agreement or the court can decide the final division. Extensive disclosure is needed to ensure each side fully understands the extent of the marital estate.

A custodial parent may request a change of the child’s residence in some circumstances. Washington law sets forth a specific procedure if the change will adversely affect the non-custodial parent’s rights.

Depending on the parties’ relative financial situations, the court may award spousal support, also known as maintenance. The amount and duration reflect how much the financially disadvantaged spouse needs to enjoy a reasonable standard of living.

We also handle family issues such as Prenuptial or Separate Property Agreements, court orders to divide retirement plans and insurance policies, and more.