Hold on…That’s my Kid too.

It happens often.  A marriage breaks up and now the kid(s) will live primarily with one of the former spouses.  Now, what happens when that divorcee wants to move out of town to pursue other interests?  Well, obviously your child will be involved in that move as well and you may become estranged from your own child.

More often than not, it is fathers who face this situation. Did you know that three out of four mothers with custody move within four years of separation or divorce?  The reasons why don’t matter so much.  They vary widely, from employment, to being closer to family, to moving in or with a new lover.

Stop…that is my kid too!  You have the right to fight against relocation of your children.  If you have ceased civil communication with your ex, then it is time to seek the advice and counsel of Spokane area family lawyer Craig Mason.  Attorney Mason has been dealing with child custody cases in Eastern Washington for decades.  Call his office right away at (509) 443-3681.

Child Support Modifications

Child support orders can be an afterthought after a dissolution in which the parenting plan was the focus of the litigation.  Sometimes they can be unfair, and a party will seek to modify the child support order as soon as the law allows.  Other times, there can be a substantial change in the financial condition of one parent or the other, perhaps even immediately after the decree was entered.

In Washington, either parent can petition to modify child support at any time (even immediately after final orders in the dissolution) if there has been a substantial change in circumstances.  Otherwise, after a year, there is no need to show a substantial change in circumstances if the order is working a “severe hardship” on either party or the child, or if the child has moved into a new age category (or if post-secondary support – college support – is now requested).  After two years, either parent may modify the child support order simply due to changes in the incomes of either parent, or if the economic tables used to calculate support have changed.  (This type of change in child support may only be sought every two years, at the soonest.)

To negotiate the complexities of pursuing, or defending, a child support modification, contact Craig Mason of Mason Law in Spokane, WA at 509-443-3681.