Kennewick Parenting Plans Attorney

Helping Parents Spend More Time with Their Children in Benton & Franklin Counties

Now that you and the father or mother of your children have decided to end your relationship comes the often arduous process of devising a just parenting plan that works for everyone. Whether you are going through a divorce or were never married to the mother or father of your child in the first place, you have a legal right to your child regardless of your marital status.

At Tri-Cities Family Law, we will help you uphold your right to be in your child’s life and do our best to ensure the parenting plan enforced by the court puts the wellbeing of you and your children first. Our Kennewick parenting plan lawyer has over a decade of experience creating comprehensive, fair, and binding parenting plans that work in everyone’s best interests.

Call (509) 320-4899 or contact us online to schedule a consultation today. 

What Is a Parenting Plan?

Parenting plans are the court order that provides parents with a road map as to how they will share their children. In the state of Washington, the terms “child custody” and “parenting plan” are legally synonymous, but for the purposes of adhering to more commonly accepted terminology, issues specifically related to child custody are detailed on a separate page.

The objective of a parenting plan is to provide a plan for the child or children’s physical care from the entry of the order until the child reaches the legal age of adulthood at 18. This will determine where the child lives, goes to school, receives healthcare, and other important aspects of their young lives.

How Do Parenting Plans Work?

During litigation, the court relies on the issuance of temporary parenting plans until a final parenting plan can be entered. Temporary parenting plans may change over the course of the case based on the facts and circumstances known when the orders are entered. The goal of a temporary parenting plan is to cause the least disruption to a child’s emotional stability while the action is pending. The goal of the court will be to encourage each parent to continue to maintain a relationship with the children consistent with the children’s needs.

A parenting plan should include propositions such as:

• Where the child will live
• Which parent(s) they will reside with
• How the parents will make important life decisions regarding the child
• How future issues between the child’s parents will be resolved

A court can limit or restrict a parent’s access to their children for a variety of reasons. If a parent has engaged in domestic violence or abused a child, the court is required to place some limitations in a parenting plan.

Ultimately, a final parenting plan is entered by agreement of the parties or through a determination by the trial court. Parties may reach an agreement on their own or with the assistance of a mediator.

Prior to entry of a final parenting plan, most Counties require that the parties enroll in and complete a mandatory parenting seminar.

Modifying Your Parenting Plan for Life's Changes

You can change your parenting plan any time a significant change occurs in your, your child’s, or your ex-spouse’s life that affects matters such as custody and visitation. This process is called modification and you can read more about it here.