Yakima Parenting Plan Lawyer
Bob Young
A Yakima Family Lawyer Helping Parents Protect Their Rights
If you are facing a divorce – or are facing any kind of a custody issue – the matter of whom your children will reside with (and when) will be addressed in your parenting plan (what many people call child custody arrangements). Your parenting plan represents all of the decision making that goes into forging your child custody arrangements with your children’s other parent, and it obviously plays an important role in you and your children’s future. Because your parenting plan is so important, you’re well-advised to consult with an experienced Yakima family law attorney today.
Making the Important Decisions
A big part of being a parent is making important decisions that help shape our children’s lives, including:
- Decisions about the education they receive
- Decisions about the health care they receive
- Decisions about the extracurricular activities they participate in
- Decisions about their religious upbringing
This is referred to as decision-making authority, and it’s an important parental responsibility. You can share this authority, you can divide it between you according to the type of decision being made, or one of you can be solely responsible for making these important decisions.
Your Residential Schedule
Separate property refers to that property that you bring into the marriage with you and that you keep separate throughout the years – which means that you don’t commingle with your community property. One exception to the community property rule is any inheritances or gifts that are given to you (in your name only) over the course of your marriage, which remain yours alone. When it comes to community property, suffice to say that it’s complicated.
The Court’s Focus
If you and your divorcing spouse are able to find common ground and hammer out a parenting plan between yourselves, you can get as creative with the matter as you see fit – in accordance with your family’s unique needs and circumstances. If not, the matter will go before the court, and the court’s focus is always on your children’s best interests. It is generally agreed that children are better off when they are able to continue fostering meaningful relationships with both parents. As such, even if you have sole custody – barring any serious issues that might point the court in a different direction – your children will very likely have a visitation schedule with their other parent.
You Need an Experienced Yakima Family Law Attorney in Your Corner
At Yakima Family Law, we pride ourselves on helping clients like you obtain parenting plans that support their parental rights and that work for them. Forging a parenting plan you are willing to sign off on can feel like a herculean effort, but we’re committed to skillfully guiding you every step of the way. When it comes to your children, it’s important – so please don’t hesitate to contact or call us at 509 577-9177 today.