Legal Child Custody in Seattle

Legal child custody in Seattle is a cornerstone of custody arrangements and parenting plans. Legal custody, also known as decision-making authority, relates to parental decision-making rights and dictates how you and your child’s other parent will share the ability to direct important aspects of your child’s life.

You should always aim to protect your parental rights in custody decisions, whether such decisions are part of a divorce case or a standalone custody matter. Look to our experienced child custody attorneys at Twyford Law Office for the skilled legal guidance you need.

What Is Legal Custody?

Legal custody in Seattle is a key component of parental rights—which a parenting plan typically covers—and affords parents the right to make important, large-scale decisions on behalf of their children, also known as major decision-making. It can be sole or joint: Sole legal custody applies when one parent has the authority to make these key decisions, while joint legal custody means both parents share this authority.

When parents share decision-making, they make each relevant decision together. However, in certain situations, the court can assign one parent the right to cast a tie-breaking vote in the event that the parents’ best efforts to reach a consensus fail. In other scenarios, parents with joint custody each handle certain categories of decisions, such as education or healthcare.

Decisions Addressed by Legal Custody/Decision Making

Legal custody is based on key parenting decisions rather than minute, everyday matters. These major decisions involve a child’s:

• Education
• Daycare or Childcare
• Extracurricular activities
• Physical and mental healthcare
• Major travel, such as international trips or risky adventures

Most parents want to be part of the decision-making process regarding the most important parts of their child’s life, and legal custody rights allow this.

Custody Is Based on the Best Interests of the Child

If you have wondered, “How do Seattle courts near me make legal child custody decisions?” we have the answer: Washington courts base both legal and physical custody determinations on the best interests of the child. This means ensuring that both parents continue to participate when and to the degree possible. 

The ideal legal custody arrangement, therefore, is for parents to share decision-making responsibilities. Courts reserve sole legal custody only for specific cases, such as when one parent is deemed unfit to participate or when there is a significant history of parental conflict that makes mutual decision-making highly improbable. It also occurs when one parent has been identified to have problems that get in the way of their ability to parent, or has engaged in domestic violence. These are called .191 factors, as outlined in RCW § 26.09.191.

While each case is specific to the unique people and circumstances involved, family courts typically consider the following best interest factors:

• Each child’s needs and each parent’s ability to effectively address them
• The relative strength, nature, and stability of the relationship between each parent and each child
• The preference of each child whom the court deems mature enough to participate
• The degree to which each parent has effectively participated in the children’s lives to date, and what parenting roles they have undertaken
• The home life stability that each parent can provide
• Whether there is any history of child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• Each parent’s ability and commitment to achieve effective co-parenting, including supporting the other parent’s healthy, close, and loving relationship with the children
• Each parent’s work schedule
• The emotional and developmental needs of the child
• The child’s relationship with other people, such as siblings or relatives

Our seasoned child custody lawyers have great experience representing parents in Court, to highlight a parent’s strengths, demonstrating that your proposed parenting plan, legal custody, is in your child’s best interests.

Call an Experienced Seattle Lawyer for Help With Your Child Custody Case

Twyford Law Office is the answer if you have been wondering, “Where near me can I find guidance about legal child custody in Seattle?” or “Where near me can I find a lawyer to help me with a parenting plan or parenting rights?” Our knowledgeable custody attorneys are relentless in their commitment to resolve each client’s custody case favorably, and we have earned a reputation for our personalized representation. 

We are here to help, so do not delay—contact us online or call our firm to begin.