Negotiating discussions about child custody can be heated and complex. If you are struggling with child custody negotiations, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed, emotional, and anxious about making such important decisions that directly impact your relationship with your child. However, you are never alone in this process. When you enlist the help of Allen | Fischer PLLC, our dedicated and caring family law attorneys will step in to assess your options from every angle and help you identify the most strategic path forward. We believe in providing you with the time-tested and effective legal solutions necessary to secure you and your child the best possible outcome.
Understanding Child Custody in Washington State
When parents divorce, legally separate, or otherwise need help defining the custodial role of each parent, they need to address child custody—essentially, with which parent the child will reside and for how long. Like most states, Washington strives for a child custody arrangement that allows both parents the opportunity to forge meaningful relationships with the child, even if the split is not even fifty-fifty. It’s important to recognize that there are two types of custody: legal and physical. Legal custody refers to a parent’s ability to make decisions for the child, such as their educational path, health care choices, and other important matters. Physical custody refers to a parent’s ability to have the child live with them for a specified amount of time. For instance, both parents may enjoy legal custody, even though the child spends most of their time residing with one parent.
Establishing a Parenting Plan
A parenting plan is a court-mandated document that requires you and the other parent to negotiate and specify the custody and visitation schedule (i.e., how much time the child will reside with each parent, how the parents will make decisions for the child, special provisions for holidays, and other important details). Discussions about what’s best for your child can be emotional and draining, which is why our empathetic family law attorneys are ready to support you through these tough negotiations. Whenever possible, our attorneys will pursue cost-effective and peaceful avenues to help you achieve your desired outcome. You can trust that we will prioritize the best interests of your child, working hard to give them the strong and stable foundation they need to thrive.