Posted On July 1, 2021 Child Custody
When making decisions regarding what is best for your children and your family, it is important to have a clear understanding of Washington State’s child custody laws. Read on to learn the child custody laws in Washington and if you have any additional questions, speak with a qualified Spokane child custody lawyer.
Under Washington State law, a child custody arrangement is commonly referred to as a “parenting plan.” A parenting plan is a legal document that outlines how you and your former spouse will care for your children once the divorce is final. The family court generally requires one as part of the divorce process, a separation, or in an abuse, neglect, or guardianship case.
A joint plan can be created by the parents together, or each parent can submit their own. The parenting plan should include preferences on every major aspect of a child’s life, including:
If the parents cannot agree on the terms, the court will often require them to attend mediation. However, even if the parents can reach an agreement, a parenting plan will only become official or enforceable once a judge reviews it and makes it a court order.
The parenting plan will detail each parent’s visitation rights, which the court tries to make sure is regular and consistent. When a parent is awarded primary physical custody of a child (custodial parent), the other (noncustodial) parent will have regular visitation rights under Washington’s child custody guidelines. At a minimum, the noncustodial parent must receive one weeknight visit and every other weekend. The judge may award more visitation time if the case warrants it, but not less.
Child custody laws in Washington State are designed with the child’s best interests as the main priority. It is the guiding principle for judges to base their decisions on when approving or making changes to a parenting plan. The judge will typically consider each parent’s ability to:
Other factors a judge may take into account are:
All of these factors will be used by the court to determine a custody case, but the one that holds the most weight is the child’s relationships with each parent. Mothers and fathers have equal custody rights over a child.
Parents can change a parenting plan if they mutually agree. However, in the absence of mutual agreement, there must be a significant change in circumstances to justify modifying the parenting plan or residential schedule. In that case, a Petition to Modify a Parenting Plan/Residential Schedule will have to be filed.
To learn more and get the help you deserve, call our child custody lawyers or reach out to Twyford Law Office online by visiting our contact us page.
We serve in King County and Spokane County in Washington and its surrounding areas. You can also visit our offices. We are conveniently located in Seattle, Spokane & Bellevue:
Twyford Law Office – Seattle Office
814 Second Avenue, Suite 515,
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 590-7085
Twyford Law Office – Spokane Office
430 W Indiana Ave,
Spokane, WA 99205.
(509) 327 0777
Twyford Law Office – Bellevue Office
1408 140th Pl NE Suite 400,
Bellevue, WA 98007
(425) 517-3350
Our Seattle Office
814 Second Avenue 515,
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 590-7085
Our Spokane Office
430 W Indiana Ave,
Spokane, WA 99205
(509) 327 0777
Our Bellevue Office
1408 140th Place NE, Suite 400,
Bellevue, WA 98007
(425) 517 3350.
