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The court will look at each parent’s income to determine issues such as child support or post-secondary support. Imputed income is an estimate by the court of an individual’s income, even if they are not actually earning that amount. This typically occurs when a parent is voluntarily underemployed or voluntarily unemployed. To decide this, the… Read More

In Part 1 of this series, we covered What Is a Guardian Ad Litem, And Do I Need One for My Case sharing details of when one should be appointed and what to expect after appointment. This blog covers how to address the finished GAL report, prepare for a hearing or trial, and how our… Read More

When parents separate, dividing holiday time can be challenging. Each parent may want to continue family traditions, spend Thanksgiving with the children, or wake up with them on Christmas morning. The holiday schedule is one aspect of the larger parenting plan. If you are creating a parenting plan for the first time, here are a… Read More

A minor guardianship is appropriate when appointing a guardian is in the minor's best interests and either each parent agrees, all parental rights have been terminated, or clear and convincing evidence shows that no parent is willing or able to exercise parental functions. Parental functions include maintaining a loving, nurturing relationship; attending to the child's… Read More

Article I, section 10 of the Washington State Constitution guarantees Washington residents access to the courts. That right does not mean that a person has unlimited access. RCW 26.51.030 specifically addresses one form of abusive litigation in cases involving current or former intimate partners. Generally, the statute applies when a party who has been found… Read More

You discovered your former spouse/co-parent received a promotion or started a new job making significantly more income. Now you’re wondering, can they pay more in child support each month? The short answer: an increase in income alone doesn’t trigger a modification, but it can be a reason to take a closer look. In Washington, child… Read More

In general, assets acquired by a spouse before marriage are considered separate property.  Under Washington Law, once property is established as separate “a presumption arises that it remains separate property in the absence of sufficient evidence to show an intent to transmute the property from separate to community property. The character of separate property can be changed to community property only… Read More

For many years, prenuptial agreements were viewed as tools reserved for the wealthy—a way to protect family fortunes, inherited assets, or business interests. Today, however, that conversation is changing. Increasingly, couples are using prenuptial agreements not simply to protect what they already have, but to address the financial realities of modern marriage and family life.… Read More

A Guardian ad litem or ‘GAL’ is a neutral third party appointed by the Court in a dissolution action to be the voice for the children and help investigate any concerns. The GAL will write up a report after doing an investigation and make recommendations to the Court. The Court is the ultimate decision maker,… Read More