Child Relocation in Seattle

During your divorce you will establish a parenting plan which must be approved by the court. If you then want to relocate a child, you will be faced with a new set of challenges. Complex relocation issues relative to parenting plans can be difficult to understand, because every situation is unique and must be dealt with individually.

If you wish to prevent your child's relocation to another state with your ex-spouse, or would like to find out whether it's possible to legally relocate your child, our qualified Seattle child relocation attorneys can help.

Successfully resolving child relocation issues often requires help from experienced Seattle child relocation lawyers. With more than fifty years of collective experience handling parenting plan issues, we can provide you with the legal expertise needed to resolve your case. In Washington, the law allows a parent to relocate a child if they follow proper statutory notice requirements. Our Seattle divorce lawyers understand how parenting plans may be modified in family court, and can help you put your plan into motion.

A parent is allowed to relocate without consent from a judge, but the court determines whether the child has permission to move along with them. Before planning a move with a child you need to understand Washington family law and how it applies to your situation. Our King County parenting plan attorneys will provide you with the information you require to make informed decisions.

The law requires you to follow your parenting plan, so our Seattle child relocation attorneys will make sure that you go along with the requirements set forth in this document.

If you're a custodial parent and would like to relocate your child, you are required to give adequate notice of your intended move to any party with visitation rights. The noncustodial parent is usually one such entity, and it may also include other parties. 60 days is usually enough time for a response, and you must also include information about where you're going and why you want to move. Interested parties will then have 30 days to file an objection. The move cannot be stopped if you are moving within the child's current school district. During the 30 day response time, custodial parents are not allowed to move the child without a court order. If none of the interested parties object, the court will likely approve the move.

There is nothing in Washington law that forbids children from relocating, so preventing a move means the noncustodial parent must show that it would detrimentally affect their child. The court will look at a variety of factors when making this determination, which can obviously be quite complicated.

A Washington family court judge decides whether children are permitted to relocate with a parent, but many factors must be considered before it can happen. Judges do their best to render decisions that they believe are in the best interests of the children, so they will consider details outlined in the parenting plan, and the nature of the parent’s relationship with their child. The judge may consider other factors as well, so our Seattle divorce lawyers will ensure that you are fully prepared for any obstacles that come up.

You may be able to prevent a child from relocating, but it could prove challenging depending on the circumstances. If both parents share equal custody rights of the child, the situation may be even more difficult. In cases such as this, you will greatly benefit from the reliable and frank counsel of our experienced Seattle divorce lawyers. Your parenting plan was designed to protect the well-being of your child, so it must respect and honor the terms of the agreement. Our Seattle child relocation lawyers understand how seriously the courts view these documents, and are ready to help overcome any hurdles that arise.

Our Seattle child relocation lawyers offer a free consultation concerning the relocation of a child. The prospect of your child relocating to another state with your ex-spouse can be difficult to reconcile, but our Seattle divorce lawyers will aggressively defend your legal interests while compassionately addressing your personal needs.

Contact one of our Seattle parenting plan attorneys today and get a head-start on your family law case.