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Seattle Washington Child Custody
Divorce with children
is not only about two people. Most of the time, a child is caught in the
middle of a custody or child support battle. There is nothing more
devastating than to lose a child in a divorce battle. If you believe
that it is in the best interest for the child to stay with you, you
should fight for it. The child deserves a better place to live and grow,
and should not have to undergo another tragedy. Bradley Johnson Child
Custody Attorneys work with parents in Seattle Washington to reach a
result that is in the best interest of the child and works for all
parties involved. Our Child Custody Lawyers are passionate about
facilitating the best environment possible for the children.
Our Seattle Washington Child Custody
Attorneys have extensive experience in solving custody disputes
involving married parents, unmarried parents, grandparents or other
individuals seeking visitation rights. Our lawyers will always be honest
with you and work to set reasonable and realistic expectations for the
outcome of your case. Once we accept your child custody case, we will
fight for your child or children and yourself to reach the desired
result.
Contact our Seattle Washington Child Custody Lawyers, to set
up a
free and confidential initial consultation. Our legal staff are
available to speak with you 24-hours a day 7 days a week.
If you
are going through a legal separation in Seattle Washington, contact our
Child Custody
lawyers for a FREE consultation and independent
assessment of your Child Custody
case. Our Child Custody attorneys are prepared to take the time to listen to your story
and discuss strategies for your best interest.
Bradley Johnson Child Custody
attorney provides compassionate legal services and aggressive trial
representation for individuals.
More Info of
Child Custody
Washington law requires a parenting
plan in any proceeding for annulment, legal separation or marital
dissolution where minor children are involved. The parents by agreement
(or the court in the event of a dispute) must develop a parenting plan.
The law includes provisions for the protection of children from parental
abuse or neglect, from continued exposure to domestic violence, from the
abusive use of parental conflict, and from other types of conduct which
the court finds to be adverse to the child's best interests.
There are many questions that must be
resolved, such as where the children will live, how much time they will
spend with either parent, where they will spend holidays, and which
parent will make decisions about the children. One or both parents might
make legal decisions, such as where the children will go to school and
what medical care or medication they will receive. Parents also have to
resolve issues about the religious training and activities of the
children. The parents may make an agreed parenting plan, or each parent
may propose opposing plans.
The court considers the best interests
of the children in determining how to provide for the children. Every
parenting plan must contain a schedule for residential care, allocation
of responsibility for parental decision making, and provisions for the
resolution of future disputes between the parents with respect to
parenting decisions. Parents are not the only people who have an
interest in parenting plans. Other people who have had a significant
relationship with a child, such as grandparents and stepparents, can
petition for visitation rights. If you have question or need legal
advice about child custody, you can contact our Seattle Washington Child
Custody Attorneys for a free consultation.
When the parents
cannot agree on a custody arrangement, the court will make the decision
for them after considering the totality of the circumstances, with the
overriding consideration being the child's best interests. To make that
determination, the court considers:
- The child's age;
- The child's
gender;
- The child's
physical and mental health;
- The parents'
physical and mental health;
- The parents'
lifestyles;
- Any history of
abuse;
- The emotional
bonds between the parent and the child;
- The parent's
ability to give the child guidance;
- The parent's
ability to provide the basic necessities, such as food, shelter,
clothing, and medical care;
- The child's
routines, including home, school, community, and religious;
- The willingness
of the parent to encourage a healthy, on-going relationship between
the child and the other parent; and
- If the child is
above a certain age, the child's preference.
In many cases, a
consideration of these factors results in awarding custody to the parent
who has been the child's primary caretaker. Although this is often the
child's mother, any preference for the mother strictly on a gender basis
is outmoded. |
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