Modifying Parenting Plans in Everett

Divorced parents are often required to work together in order to provide their children with the best possible living arrangements. This is an important part of the child's development as they grow up, and both parents are urged to share in this rewarding responsibility.

When parents agree to a child's living arrangements during a divorce, the resulting document is called a parenting plan. However, sometimes situations arise when a plan must be modified well after a divorce is finalized. This process can be complicated, but our experienced Everett parenting plan modification lawyers can help you with just about any child custody issues.

If you want to modify a current custody arrangement, our Snohomish County parenting plan attorneys will help you focus on key aspects of the process that are most important. Preventing animosity and conflict with your ex-spouse from becoming problematic will aid this endeavor, and our Everett child custody lawyers work hard to make sure that negotiations run smoothly even if problems arise.

If modifying a parenting plan proves necessary, our Everett legal professionals may address some of these important issues:

• Determine how the child's placement will be structured and who the primary residential parent will be
• Help both parents agree on details that determine which parent will make decisions that directly affect the child's life
• Work out a reasonable method for settling future disputes
• Decide who will steer the focus of the child's religious and educational choices

Our Everett parenting plan attorneys always urge parents to work together in doing what's best for their children. Most parents have no desire to go to court, so our Everett child custody lawyers always encourage amicable and constructive negotiations. Throughout this often complex process, our Everett parenting plan modification attorneys will offer you reliable counsel based upon their extensive real-world experience.

When the court finalizes a parenting plan, making changes to the document is difficult. Parenting plans are constructed to provide children with long term stability, so any change will be heavily scrutinized. The court won't even hear a case involving the modification of a parenting plan without first holding an Adequate Cause Hearing. This is the chance for the parent seeking the change to convince the judge to allow the case to move forward.

For the adequate cause hearing, you will first have to write an affidavit explaining why you seek the modification. The other parent will also write an affidavit and the judge will determine whether the request has any merit. If so, they will set a date for a hearing. If not, the request is denied.

Judges may approve the hearing for a variety of reasons. If both parents agree to the change, they will likely approve it. It may be necessary to show that the child's living environment is no longer safe or adequate. Either way, you should talk to an attorney and find out how to approach this sensitive situation.

Studies show that when parents work together on a child custody agreement, it is far more likely to be followed than a court-mandated plan. While reaching an agreement may sometimes seem like a Herculean task, our Everett parenting plan modification lawyers will offer assistance by urging you to seek arbitration, mediation, or even counseling.

Another way to reach agreement on a parenting plan is to have each party design their own plan and then work with the mediator to negotiate the finer details. Once both parents agree on a plan, our Everett child custody lawyers will take the draft to court, requesting that it be approved by a judge.

We can help whether you have been served with a notice that a spouse is seeking to modify current child custody arrangements, or if you’re hopeful that an existing plan may be modified. In each situation, our Everett parenting plan attorneys will help you understand the law before you take any action. We offer of a free consultation that allows you to find out more details about child custody, and about how your parenting plan may be modified, according to Washington law.

Your children deserve the best custody situation possible, so contact our law office today for reliable legal counsel that ensures they have a secure and promising future.