Special Circumstances and Emergencies
Fighting False Allegations in Divorce
March 6, 2025
Hear from a Seattle family law attorney about how to defend against false allegations in a Washington state divorce.
What We Need to Tell Our Teen Daughters About Domestic Abuse
October 7, 2021
Popular culture is using the moniker "America's daughter" to describe Gabby Petito because she could've been any of our daughters. Learn how to talk to your daughter about the signs of domestic abuse.
Divorcing an Addict in Washington State? What You Need To Know
September 16, 2021
Divorcing your spouse while they're battling an addiction can be grueling for you and your children. We can help you navigate your options for a brighter tomorrow.
Safety Planning for Pets in a Domestic Violence Situation
August 18, 2020
If you are unsure about what will happen to your animals while you leave an abusive situation, ask an attorney about safety planning for pets in a domestic violence situation.
How Do Parents Get Their Children Back in a Washington State Dependency Case?
June 14, 2019
A “dependency” case is a juvenile court case where someone, almost always the state through Child Protective Services (CPS), petitions the court for removal of the child from the parents and asks that the court make a finding that the child is “dependent” under Washington State law. A dependent c...
72 Hour Hearings: The First Court Hearing After Removal of a Child by CPS
June 6, 2019
In Washington State, when a child is removed from the home by CPS, by law there must be a court hearing within 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) known as a 72 Hour Shelter Care Hearing. CPS is required by law to make reasonable efforts to inform the parents that their child w...
The Intersection of Family Law Parenting Plans and Dependency (CPS) Cases
May 22, 2019
A parenting plan is the order the family law court enters, most typically in cases of divorce and legal separation, to govern which parent the child will live with and when. But what happens to a parenting plan when a child is removed from the home by CPS and dependency case is established? T...
Filing for a Domestic Violence Protection Order
March 29, 2017
Domestic Violence Protection Orders are fee to file. You do not need to wait to be a victim of physical domestic violence to file for a protection order, but you do need to show fear of physical harm from someone with whom you have a romantic relationship or is a family member. What is a Domes...
What is Custodial Interference?
February 1, 2017
A client may come to our office in a panic when the other parent has kept their child in violation of the parenting plan. In addition to speaking to their family law attorney regarding a potential habeaus corpus, or contempt action they are interested in learning about custodial interference, but...
What is an ADF?
January 11, 2017
Substance abuse, homelessness, and Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement are intertwined in a huge and complex fashion. We previously wrote about how Seattle formed a task force to address both heroin use and homelessness. With opioid overdoses accounting for about 30,000 U.S. deaths in o...