Family Law

You recently got divorced, and you’re looking for a fresh start. In fact, maybe you’re considering moving to a different city or even a different state. Prior to your marriage, it would have been easy for you to relocate...

For many divorcing couples, the biggest asset they have is the family home – and the one around which a couple may be the most emotional.  There are generally three different options for handling the family home when a...

Before you got married, you spent $10,000 buying your partner the wedding ring that they wanted. You knew that it was an expensive purchase, but you wanted to make the marriage perfect for your partner. However, it’s now...

Paternity or parentage is the state's acknowledgment of a parent's relationship with a child. Mothers generally benefit from automatic parentage because there is a clear connection between them and the children they birth....

The build-up to getting married is an exciting time that’s full of optimism. The last thing on the mind of many couples is legal contracts like prenuptial agreements. Even though marriage is a legal arrangement, prenups...

In a co-parenting scenario, working towards a child’s comfort and stability is important. One common question that arises when parents are navigating this challenge is whether a child’s belongings should follow them between...

During a custody battle, divorcing couples may want to gain an advantage over each other because they feel they need to get the lion's share. As a result, they may end up in a bitter fight and use dirty tactics to win. You...

Money that you and your spouse earned during your marriage typically counts as a marital asset. You both have access to this income, so the earnings need to be divided during a potential divorce. If your marriage ends, you...

Parents who are splitting up have to determine what type of arrangement they’re going to mutually employ when raising their children. In most cases, it’s best for children to have a meaningful relationship with both...

Family courts in the beautiful state of Washington make custody decisions with one key principle in mind: the best interests of the child. When parents decide to divorce, the court steps in to ensure that the child’s...

Are you concerned that your spouse is going to try to hide assets during the divorce? Maybe the two of you have had a lot of conflicts over money, and perhaps the way that you use money even caused the divorce. Now you’re...

You’ve come to see your spouse with new eyes – and you’re now conscious of just how deeply narcissistic they are. You simply can’t spend the rest of your life catering to their endless needs, so you want out. Unfortunately,...

Money plays a huge role in marriage regarding stability and happiness. That's why it's among the top things couples argue about, and it can potentially lead to a divorce. Here is how money can lead to the dissolution of a...

People typically want to preserve as much of their assets as they can during a Washington divorce. Generally, anything that is part of the marital estate is subject to property division laws. The state treats resources...

Divorce is a sensitive process, and maintaining privacy and discretion during this challenging time is crucial. Exploring various strategies can help you safeguard your personal information and maintain privacy during a...

When couples get divorced for financial reasons, it may be that they have significant financial stress. You sometimes see this if one partner has an addiction or problematic spending habits. When couples can’t make ends...

Most people going through or divorce or non-marital split benefit from making a clean break. The fewer times they have to interact with their former partner, the less likely they are to experience emotional upheaval and...

Adoption can be a good option if you want to become a parent but wish to remain single and independent. More people, from celebrities to ordinary Americans, are adopting without a spouse or domestic partner. In Washington,...

Recently, the divorce rate is going up for adults aged 50 and older in the U.S. For everyone who is younger than them, the divorce rate is going down. What is it about aging that seems to be increasingly leading to divorce?...

Even when a child’s parents are on excellent terms with one another, if they are no longer married or romantically involved, they may find co-parenting to be challenging at times. On the other end of the co-parenting...

You’ve likely heard that nearly half of all marriages end in divorce -- but nobody starts off a marriage expecting divorce to happen to them (although maybe they should). Why does divorce happen so often? Here’s what you...

In Washington State, property division during a divorce follows the principle of community property.  However, determining who gets the house specifically involves various factors and considerations. While not all of them...

Child custody can make a divorce more complicated. With both parties fighting for their parental rights, the court will consider several factors to give orders in the child's best interest. However, things may change later,...

Discussing prenuptial agreements (prenups) with a partner is associated with negative feelings. Some people have attested that it feels like they are planning for a divorce before even the marriage starts. Nonetheless, a...

When couples in Washington who share minor children divorce, the state requires that parenting plans be put into place as those once-romantic relationships evolve into co-parenting relationships. Parenting plans are legally...

Property division is among the major issues during divorce. For separating spouses, each may need guidance as to how to divide retirement plans such as 401(k)s or pensions. Granted, this is a complex task. However, the...

If you have kids when going through a divorce, it can be more challenging. Divorce affects kids in different ways. However, staying together for the kids is also not beneficial. It is unhealthy for them to grow up in a home...

When you share custody in Washington, both you and the other parent of your children have a say in their daily lives. You typically have to agree with one another about their education and their healthcare needs. You will...

Divorce is never easy, even if both of you agree that it is the right thing to do. Divorce comes with uncertainty, questions regarding what went wrong and reflections on what life will be like going forward.  Divorce...

Where we will go for our honeymoon? Where will we live? How soon should we have kids? These are just some of the subjects soon-to-wed couples talk about while planning their marriage and future. However, one of the topics...

Your custody order is enforceable in the Washington family courts. If you or your ex refuse to abide by the existing order, either of you could go to court to ask for enforcement assistance. A judge could order make-up...

One of the biggest problems with a divorce is that it requires you to make major decisions at a time when you are probably not at your best. Those in the military train so that they can perform under high stress. Most...

Sometimes, divorcing isn’t about getting the family home. You might not want the bad memories from living there or be uncomfortable with the idea of staying there after your marriage ends. In this kind of situation, you are...

If you have divorced your children’s other parent and have agreed to co-parent, it’s only natural for conflict to occur from time to time. However, to ensure the health and well-being of your children, it’s a good idea to...

You and your spouse may have recently agreed to divorce, and you’d like to avoid a custody battle. Well, the good news is that’s entirely possible. These days, joint custody is generally considered best (in most situations)...

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be among the most unexpectedly difficult holidays to deal with after separation or divorce. Many divorcing parents don’t include them in their custody agreement and parenting plan or simply...

If you are a parent considering divorce, you may be scared off by the horror stories you read or hear. People might tell you that your child will have lifelong mental health problems. Or end up hanging out with the wrong...

Many couples end up in a bitter fight over custody because they both believe it is best if they get the lion’s share. They dredge up past episodes where their spouse sent the child to school with only a bag of chips for...

If you are about to divorce, you might be dreading how it will go. You may have friends or family who went through a nasty divorce, and whenever you see divorces in the press or in TV series or films, they tend to be high...

You’ve decided to divorce after a long and difficult conversation with your spouse. Now what? If you can still talk to each other, things will be much simpler. So try to avoid anything that could escalate the situation to a...