Arlington Family Law

If you're living in Arlington and entering the first stages of the divorce process, you likely have a whirlwind of questions and concerns. Will you have to move out of your house, or does your spouse have to move? Who gets custody of your kids during the divorce? What about after? Will you have to pay child support or alimony? Will you have to pay temporary support while the divorce is going on? How long will it take to finalize your divorce?

These are just a few of the questions our Arlington divorce lawyers routinely hear from new clients. It's a lot to process, plus you have to deal with the emotional upheaval of having your entire life turned upside down. You may suddenly lose daily contact with your kids and be living alone in a strange environment for the first time in many years. Indeed, divorce is a traumatic experience. In fact, there is actually a condition called Divorce PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), proving how devastating the whole ordeal truly is.

You can't let the emotional strain of a divorce prevent you from protecting your own interests. This is especially true if you were served divorce papers with no prior warning. Make no mistake: Your spouse has been planning this for a long time. They have a divorce lawyer who has likely already made motions with the court pertaining to temporary support and custody. You need to quickly act in order to fully protect your legal rights.

Our Arlington divorce attorneys understand that this isn't easy. Even if you and your spouse agree to a divorce, it's still going to be stressful. Animosity and unresolved arguments can rise to the surface at any time. When looking for a qualified Arlington divorce lawyer, you should make sure that they:

• Are experienced handling complex family law issues in Washington State.
• Are willing to listen to your needs and identify your goals.
• Have a solid reputation as an aggressive litigator.
• Are available to talk when you need reliable counsel.
• Will compassionately address your needs both in and out of the courtroom.

That last one is important, because you will need emotional support when tough decisions have to be made. This is especially true if you have kids. Trust is your Arlington family law lawyer is essential, because they will sometimes tell you something you do not want to hear. However, it will be something you need to hear.

If you're ready to take the next step, contact our law office in Snohomish County and talk to one of our qualified Arlington divorce lawyers without cost or obligation.

Arlington sits in the northern part of Snohomish County. With a population of about 18,000, Arlington has a small town charm that residents and visitors absolutely adore. Arlington gained incorporated status in the early 20^th Century, and during the 1960s increased residential development began it's rapid change into a suburban city. There are 17 city-maintained parks in Arlington, so if you want to play some sports, walk your dog, or launch your boat to go fishing, Arlington has you covered. For more information about the city, check out the Arlington Municipal website , which is full of useful information about local government.

If you're enamored with life “down under,” be sure to check out Arlington's Outback Kangaroo Farm , and them maybe have dinner at Outback Steakhouse on First Avenue North. The kangaroo farm hosts tours that showcase the jumping critters and many other exotic animals that you just don't get to see very often. Their website says they also sell eggs, and while these presumably come from chickens and not kangaroos, it is a question worth asking when you're on the tour. The website also says that they sell exotic animals, so perhaps you can buy your kids a kangaroo for Christmas. Wouldn't that take them by surprise!

Married partners sometimes jump to conclusions if their partner is late coming home or getting texts in the middle of the night. If their suspicions prove correct, it could mean a divorce is part of their future. Still, Washington is a “no-fault” divorce state, which means that the court is not interested if your partner had an affair or was adulterous, and it will not affect the outcome. Your divorce case or family law matter will be handled by the Snohomish County Family Court , so it's a good idea to check out their website for detailed information about how it operates.

If you need information regarding any family law or divorce issue, you can contact us right away for a free consultation If you're just in the process of gathering information, take a look at the subject matter below. Our Arlington divorce lawyers assembled this content, which covers some of the more common issues we handle.

Child custody – No issue has more potential for emotional upheaval than child custody. Parents faced with the realities of a divorce are well aware that the relationship they've established with their kids will suddenly change dramatically. A divorce could mean losing out on daily interactions with your child. It could mean losing your say in regards to education and religion. Few parents are eager to relinquish this responsibilities, which is why divorce negotiations sometimes stall.

You have to realize that the court will decide all custody arrangements if you and your ex partner fail to do so. Nobody wants the state government to make decisions regarding the lives of their kids, so we urge clients to make fair compromises when the situation warrants such an action. If your spouse won't treat you with fairness and dignity, then we have no choice but to aggressively pursue your interests in court. When you retain our Arlington child custody lawyers, they never back down from a fight.

Child support – Every child must have their financial needs met so that they can enjoy a productive and fruitful life. This often means that the non-custodial parents makes monthly payments to their ex-partner to pay for their fair share of their child's needs. The court uses a Support Schedule to determine the dollar amount of these payments, but other factors may influence the bottom line.

If you're not married but want to start collecting support from your child's father, our Arlington child support lawyers can pursue this action in court. We can also help you establish legal paternity if the child's father won't admit their responsibility.

Spousal support – Alimony is something few people are eager to pay, but it's a reality in many Washington State divorces. How property is divided will influence the amount of the monthly alimony payments, as will each former partner's age and overall health. The duration of the payments will be based on the length of the marriage. The longer the marriage, that longer payments will last. For more information, talk to one of our Arlington spousal support lawyers.

Protection and restraining orders – These two tools help abuse victims seek a legal method to prevent the abuser from having contact with them. Best of all, they work. Violating a court mandated protection order leads to severe penalties and possible jail time, so abusers are highly motivated to walk the line. Our Arlington protection order lawyers offer a confidential consultation if you would like to end abuse once and for all.

Modifications of support – You may find out your ex-partner got a new, higher paying job and would like the court to revisit the terms set forth in your parenting plan to reduce the amount of child support you pay monthly. You may get seriously ill or get laid off and want to ask the court for relief by approving a modification of spousal support. If so, contact one of our Arlington support modification lawyers and find out whether it's possible to petition the court.

Our Arlington family law lawyers offer a free consultation. Whether you're in the first stages of the divorce process or dealing with a serious family law matter, we can help. Other common issues we handle include:

• Property division
• Adoption
• Military divorce
• Same sex marriage divorce

If you have questions about any family law issue, we have answers. Contact our law office in Snohomish County today and make sure you have quality representation from a lawyer that cares about the end result.