Child Custody Attorney Near Me - S.L. Pitts PC

It is common for those seeking custody of their children during divorce to assume that each parent will receive equal time. However, child custody decisions always lean towards what the court decides is best for the child, often resulting in one parent receiving greater responsibility. If you are at any stage of the process, you may search for a child custody attorney near me location in Seattle, WA to find dependable and experienced legal advice.

At S.L. Pitts, we offer over 25 years of knowledge and skill to help you tailor your parenting plan and present powerful arguments regarding your custody rights. Whether your divorce is friendly or conflicted, we focus on having calm and logical conversations so each parent receives appropriate time with their children. Contact us to arrange a consultation with our Seattle family law attorneys and learn more about your options today.

Why Choose S.L. Pitts as Your Child Custody Attorney Near You

By working with our child custody attorneys, you can take advantage of our background and focus on family law matters. You may have specific ideas about how you want custody handled after your divorce, but you need professional and knowledgeable guidance to be sure you can reach those goals. While the family court will consider your wishes, the ultimate choice lies in the judge’s hands.

At S.L. Pitts, we understand your concerns and can compassionately help you create a parenting plan that works best for your children. We negotiate with the other parent’s lawyers, keeping the child’s rights and needs as our top priority. We can also assist you with temporary support or protective orders in situations of domestic violence.

Our Seattle-based team can also advise you on how to maintain your relationship with non-custodial children and long-distance co-parenting arrangements. We focus on getting through the process as quickly as possible while always preparing you for what to expect. We operate by our core values, emphasizing respect, support, and integrity for every client.

How Child Custody Works in Washington

When you divorce in Washington, you must include a child custody and parenting time plan as part of the documents you present in family court. There are two kinds of child custody under Washington law: legal and physical.

Legal custody allows a parent to have a say in decisions about the child’s upbringing, including medical, educational, and religious choices.
Physical refers to where the child spends most of their time living.

Generally, both parents will receive joint legal custody, unless there are serious concerns about a parent’s fitness or ability to make appropriate decisions. Primary physical custody often goes to the parent who keeps the family home, but the amount of time a child spends with each parent can vary. If a parent does not have satisfactory living arrangements to house the child, they may risk losing physical custody or even visitation.

Parents may elect to keep children in the family home and switch out living with them during their custody days. They may have the children 7 days each, alternating between homes, or they may prefer a more standard “every other weekend” arrangement. It all comes down to what works best for the children, especially if they are very young and need more care.

Washington Law Focuses on the Best Interests of the Child

The end of your marital relationship can have a substantial impact on your child’s relationship with each parent. The Washington family courts strive to minimize any negative outcome by deciding what is in the child’s best interests. Your goal is to develop a parenting plan that aligns as closely as possible with what the court may favor.

Custody decisions are closely intertwined with child support questions and always concentrate on maintaining stability and security for the child. While the court begins with the assumption that custody should be 50/50, any range of circumstances could change that. If you are unsure of where you may stand regarding custody for your child, it is wise to speak with a Seattle child custody attorney near you right away.

In the event that you feel your child is no longer safe in the other parent’s home, you have the right to request a child custody modification. This usually involves instances where the other parent loses their home, regularly introduces unsafe elements or people into the home, or engages in violent or criminal activity.

What “Best Interest of the Child” Means in Washington Child Custody Cases

Essentially, the court seeks to keep things as unchanged as possible for children, even though many things must change as part of a divorce. What that means varies from one case to the next, but your family court judge will try to retain stability whenever possible. This may look like the following:

Is the child highly dependent on one parent for care?
How old is the child?
Is the child old enough to express a preference to the court?
Does the child have health issues requiring extensive time from the parent’s schedule?
What is the relationship between the child and each parent?
Does one parent earn substantially more than the other?
Does the child have strong family and friendship ties to the current home/area?
Does either parent have a history of physical violence, substance abuse, or criminal activity?
Will either parent move far away from the family home?

Everyday matters such as who gets the child ready for school and bed, who manages their health appointments, and who helps with homework can become significant. Judges will often award primary custody to the parent with greater care responsibilities to preserve the child’s past experience. Yet, each parent has the right to request and demonstrate their ability to meet the demands of full-time or 50% custody.

Can Grandparents or Other Relatives Receive Custody?

Although there is no automatic right for grandparents to obtain legal custody or visitation rights for their grandchildren, there may be situations where they can file for custody. Washington provides the option for grandparents to request visitation if they can show they have a substantive relationship with the child. They can also petition the court for physical and legal custody if both parents are proven unfit.

In some situations, a parent’s siblings or grandparents can be named as guardians until the parents are able to resume care. For example, if a parent is incarcerated for a long time, their sister or grandparent may request guardianship. As always, the court considers what is best for the child, even if that means preventing grandparents from visitation.

In rare cases, it may be necessary for the parent to waive their parental rights so others can assume care of their child. The court also has the right to involuntarily remove parental rights when the parent cannot or does not show signs of being fit to care for the child. It is always best to speak with a custody attorney to fully understand the impact this choice may have on all parties involved.

Can a Child Custody Attorney Near Me Guarantee I Will Get Custody?

Because the final decision lies with a family court judge, there are no guarantees when it comes to securing custody in a divorce. Much of the groundwork for this actually occurs during the marriage in the years before things end. Yet, even if you have spent the majority of your time caring for your children, you may or may not get the custody situation you desire.

As mentioned, Washington law prefers to reduce the upheaval children experience when their parents divorce. If there is a marital home, the court will typically assign primary physical custody to the parent who stays in that home, although this is not always the case. If the couple sells the home as part of their property division agreement, primary custody may go to the parent with a more secure living arrangement, or it could be split evenly.

Your Seattle child custody attorney will examine your circumstances and explain how the court may rule concerning custody. You will also need to meet with a King County family court mediator who will assess your plans compared to the general court guidelines. Again, the most important goal will be developing a parenting plan that is in line with the court’s decree to meet the child’s best interests.

Your Parenting Plan Should Address More Than Just Custody

Because the child custody arrangement will be legally binding for years after the divorce, you need to consider many factors besides just who gets primary custody. If you and the other parent remain adversarial, you likely want to set specific pick-up and drop-off arrangements to minimize your interactions. You might choose to communicate through email to create a record of any discussions or alterations.

Other areas to discuss include:

Holidays, Birthdays, and Other Special Events: You should decide whether you will alternate holidays each year and how to celebrate the child’s birthday. Consider extended family members who may want the child to attend special events.

Vacation Plans: Did you regularly take annual vacations as a family? Think about whether one parent will keep up that tradition or if each parent will take the child for a trip.

Decision-Making Methods: Some parents can use a casual communication style to make decisions, but others may require stricter options.
How to Resolve Disputes: You may include a clause requiring formal mediation or develop another approach to settle disagreements and move forward.

Some things you cannot plan for, yet you still have the right to take action. If a parent loses their job, suffers a severe injury, or engages in dangerous behaviors, you can petition the court for a custody modification. Alternatively, the parents may jointly decide to modify an order if one becomes unable to physically care for the children.

What Can a Child Custody Attorney Near Me Do for My Case?

If you and your partner love your children but are ending your marriage, you may feel you have all the skills you need to decide custody. The truth is that you may still be unaware of how the court will rule or how to correctly create a parenting plan. In the event you are leaving a domestic abuse situation, you need as much help as you can get to stay safe and secure with legal protections.

Your attorney here in Seattle will file paperwork for you and be at your side for all meetings, mediation sessions, and court appearances. They can educate you on what to expect and what you need to provide, and they can keep emotional discussions focused on what matters most for your child. Divorce and starting over are already full of distractions and tasks, but your attorney can manage the legal concerns to reduce your stress.

Choosing a child custody attorney near you in Seattle, WA means you can take advantage of their local knowledge of the law and courts. At S.L. Pitts, our attorneys have lived and worked in Washington for many years, giving us a special insight into how the courts handle family law matters. We discuss the details of your case within our team, and this collaborative approach yields higher success in getting the outcomes our clients want.

Contact Our Seattle Child Custody Attorney Near Me Law Firm

Whether you have already begun divorce and custody proceedings or you are just considering them, you have the right to discuss your concerns with a legal professional. By taking that first step, you can gather the knowledge you need to move ahead to protect your child’s future. If you are in desperate times and need immediate help from the court, a child custody attorney near you can act quickly on your behalf.

At S.L. Pitts, we believe in treating every client as an individual, considering your specific needs and goals, and crafting a unique solution to your issues. We offer an initial consultation to answer your questions and explain how the law may apply to your situation. Contact us to schedule a time with our child custody attorneys and learn how we can help you today.