Kennewick Parenting Plan Modification Services

Serving Benton County & Franklin County Families

Helping Separated Parents Keep Their Children’s Best Interests at Heart

Following a dissolution of marriage or other ended relationship, former couples who share children are required to come up with a parenting plan in order to establish custody and other arrangements related to caring for their children in separate households. However, over the years parenting plans often need to be modified as the lives of both the parents as well as their children’s evolve.

If you are looking into modifying an existing parenting plan and don’t know where to start, Tri-Cities Family Law can help. Our Kennewick modification attorney Kari Hayles-Davenport and her legal team can guide you through the process, helping you to avoid frustrating hurdles and get the new plan approved quickly. We understand that you want the life that’s best for yourself and your children and that making such significant changes can’t always afford to wait—contact us now to get the process started right away!

We offer confidential, no-obligation consultations to all prospective clients. Book yours now by calling (509) 320-4899 or reach Tri-Cities Family Law using our online contact form. 

Understanding When Modifications Are Needed

There are a host of valid reasons why a parenting plan that once made sense for a family no longer works the way it used to. People move, change jobs, take on new responsibilities, alter their routines, and go through other significant lifestyle changes all the time. Fortunately, the courts understand this, and so the modification process was created to allow former couples who share children to alter their original parenting plans after the fact.

Reasons a modification may be necessary include:

• A parent is moving out of state due to a job relocation.
• A parent is exhibiting misconduct, such as abuse.
• A parent has become too ill to care for the child or has passed away.
• The family has simply outgrown the original plan and has decided an update is in order.

A Washington court may also issue an order to modify a parenting plan if one of the parents has been found in contempt of court twice or more within a three-year period because they did not adhere to the court-appointed residential schedule, or if they have been convicted of first- or second-degree custodial interference.

Steps to Modify Your Parenting Plan in Washington

If you, your child’s, or your former spouse’s life has changed in a manner that affects child support, visitation, custody, or another significant matter tied to your divorce, you can request to modify your existing parenting plan.

In Washington, courts may order parenting plan modifications if both:

• The life of a parent or child has changed substantially since the original parenting plan was issued, and
• The modification is in the best interests of the child.

This means that you can’t change a parenting plan just because you realize you realize it’s become slightly inconvenient; as a court order, the process of modifying a parenting plan involves paperwork and legal procedures and will only be considered if there’s a “good” reason behind it.

If you truly believe that a modification is best for you and/or your child, however, there isn’t much stopping you from requesting one. Yet, that doesn’t mean the process is always simple or straightforward. Consulting with a local modification attorney about your case and to help you build a new plan will save you a significant amount of trouble.