Skilled Family Lawyer Defending Vancouver Clients

No one enters a marriage with the intention of divorcing, but oftentimes divorce is the best path toward a brighter future for those involved. Whatever your reasons for the split, the team at John L. Davis PLLC will do everything in our power to help you get through this ordeal as painlessly and efficiently as possible. You may be ending your partnership, but you are not alone.

When a divorce is uncontested, the process can generally be handled outside of court — assuming, of course, that both parties are in agreement regarding the terms of their settlement. In an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse agree to work together to negotiate and define the final terms of your divorce settlement, allowing you to retain control over the outcome.

During a divorce, the most important issue separating partners face involves the wellbeing and future of their children. Washington courts prefer to award joint custody whenever possible, meaning that both parents will get to play a role in making these kinds of decisions. That said, sometimes custody may be granted to one parent alone. Regardless of the specifics of your situation, we will work tirelessly to obtain the child custody result you want and deserve.

In the event that only one parent is granted custody, the non-custodial parent becomes responsible for paying child support. A good family law attorney can help parents negotiate a child support settlement that best serves the needs of their children and ensure they don’t become exposed to financial instability as a result of the divorce. These matters can typically be resolved independently of the courts, which is far less expensive and time-consuming. However, if we must go to court to resolve the matter of child custody and support, going in prepared with a plan significantly increases the chances that both parties will walk away satisfied.

Modifications
As separating couples go through the divorce process, the issue of spousal support will likely come up. Typically, the spouse who earned more money over the course of the marriage may be required to make payments to the lower-earning spouse for a specified amount of time. These spousal support payments are intended to ease the transition of the lower-earning spouse as they adjust to their new financial reality.

The only constant in life is change. Even if your custody agreement worked well for months or years, it is not at all unusual for circumstances to change to the extent that a modification becomes necessary. Common factors in modification requests include a change or loss in income, a mandatory job relocation, a change in benefits, or even behavioral changes in your children. Whatever your specific situation, you need a family law attorney who will represent your case in the best possible light.