Do grandparents have rights to see their grandchildren in Washington?
Rick Jones was on the Danny Bondaduce Show to talk about family law, divorce, and child custody in Washington. One caller had a question about her rights as a grandparent and whether or not she needed to get permission from both her daughter and son-in-law to take her grandchildren out of Washington. She describes her situation in the question below:
I need to take my grandchildren down to Florida to visit family. My daughter and I have been estranged for three years due to drugs. I get to see the kids, who are teenagers, through their father. He has given his permission. Do I have to get my daughter's permission to take them to Florida?
In answering this question, Rick points out a common misconception about grandparents' rights in Washington. While many states have provisions to secure visitation rights for grandparents, Washington is one of the few states that does not have a law that secures those rights for grandparents. Therefore, while she will not need to get permission of both parents, this grandmother will need to rely on the allocated custody time of her son-in-law. Rick elaborates in his answer below:
In most states you are right, but not in Washington. Unfortunately, when it comes to grandparents' rights, the state of the law in Washington is fairy tough. Grandparents' rights are nearly non-existent. You will only see grandparents get involved when a parent is incapable of filling the parent roll. In those instances, you may see a grandparent step in as a third-party custodian.
For now, you are going to need to rely upon the kindness of your daughter or your prior son-in-law to allocate some of their custody time to you. It won't be considered kidnapping because you are there under your son-in-law's custodial time by his permission. The best thing for you to do is to continue to get a parent's permission to spend time with your grandchildren.
Rick also tackles the following family law issues in this episode:
- I am in a custody battle with my son's mom. I don't have a lot of money to spend on lawyers. What should I do?
- I want to take my grandchildren out-of-state. Do I have any right to visit with my grandchildren? Do I need my estranged daughter's permission to take them on the trip?
- Do I have to pay child support if my girlfriend took my name off the birth certificate?
- Do I have to pay back child support if she comes after me in a few years?
- Why does Goldberg Jones advertise divorce for men?
If you have questions about family law, child custody, or divorce in Washington, Rick Jones and the other talented divorce attorneys at Goldberg Jones are willing to help. Give us a call and we'll answer your questions on the phone for free:
Call: (206) 448-1010
Goldberg Jones | Divorce for Men
Can your ex-spouse keep your child away from you even if you pay child support?
In this week's episode, Rick Jones of Goldberg Jones talks child support, divorce, child custody, and modifying parenting plans in Washington. We also took some great behind-the-scenes pictures while Rick and Danny took calls from around the Puget Sound. One dad called with a question about his ex-spouse who has been keeping him from visiting with his child. He asks:
My question is: I have a son who will be turning 4 soon. His mother has done her best to keep him out of my life. I have no phone number, no contact, and no address. She has told me she has moved all over the US, but it turns out that she is in Washington. I want to know if there are any repercussions I can cause her since I have been paying my child support and I've been doing my fatherly duties.
Rick answers that while this dad cannot punish her for the past misdeeds, it is possible to petition the court for a parenting plan to enforce this dad's rights to see his son. Click below to hear the whole answer and episode:
As you hear, Rick elaborates in his answer:
As it stands now, there is no recourse. However, there still is a course of action where you can get those recognized rights. You need what is called a "parenting plan." This is ultimately the document that will define the custodial rights between you and your ex-spouse and your relationship with your son.
Rick also addresses the following questions in this episode:
- Is there is a statute of limitations on Child Support?
- Can your ex-spouse keep your child away from you even if you pay child support? How can you get the state to recognize the rights to your child?
- What are the odds of going back and adjusting your parenting plan? Do you still have to pay child support if you lose your job or have a drop in income?
As always, the Seattle divorce attorneys at Goldberg Jones take pride in answering questions and helping the men of the Puget Sound. If you have questions about custody, divorce, or family law in Washington, give us a call and we'll answer your questions on the phone for free: (206) 448-1010
Valentine’s Day, Child Custody, and Seattle Divorce Lawyer Rick Jones on the Radio
Rick Jones and Danny Bonaduce were in rare form on Valentine's Day as they talked about divorce and family law in Seattle. They took calls from around the Puget Sound and answered questions about back child support, the likelihood of joint custody, and separating property during a divorce. Listen to the whole episode below:
Ironically, we always see a spike in phone calls and web traffic the day after Valentine's Day. February 15th brought more people to our website than any other day this year. But as Rick said in the interview, we are here to be a resource to the men of the Puget Sound. If you have questions about divorce, child custody, or family law in Washington, give us a call and we''ll answer you calls for free. (206) 448-1010
Seattle Weekly Article Highlights Men Navigating Seattle Family Court System
It is rare that an article in the mainstream media looks at purported politically incorrect bias in family courts. The article highlights many of the problems fathers may face as they negotiate the family court.
While we have no comment on this particular piece, it would be great to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. As always our focus at Goldberg Jones is to accomplish what we can within the system and provide high quality representation for all our clients.
Read an excerpt from full article below:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2012-01-18/news/ripped-apart/
One father’s story is particularly poignant. Faced with a false allegation of domestic violence, he was required to jump through years of court appearances, psychological evaluations, and supervised visitation as he fought for custody of his children.
Had he been charged with domestic violence in criminal court, where guilt must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt and the standards of due process are high, this might not have happened. But Jim's fate was decided in a very different venue: family court.
It's a court like no other—a hugely busy and rancorous place where the most personal aspects of people's lives are not only on display, but judged and reshaped in proceedings that often last no longer than 20 minutes. Appointed commissioners, rather than elected judges, make many of the most crucial decisions. And the standard of evidence (known as "preponderance of the evidence") is the lowest allowed by law.
While the fight may not always be easy, as a man, you have legal rights in a divorce. If you are thinking about a divorce, or want your questions answered, give us a call today for a free consultation. 1-800-DIVORCE.
Tacoma Dad Calls Radio to Praise Goldberg Jones
As you can imagine, working with men who are facing a divorce has its ups and downs. It can be difficult to support men as they face challenging situations, such as moving out, battling for custody, false allegations of abuse, ect. Nevertheless, we do it because we believe we are doing some good and because we have made a commitment to our clients, the courts, and the law.
So, it is very gratifying when we get forwarded clips from a happy client like the one below:
I am glad we were able to help this guy out. It is emphasizes that we value your phone calls . We are not just going to push you to set up a meeting with us. Instead, you'll get an answer and the support you need. If you have any questions about Seattle divorce, we will answer them on the phone for free. Give us a call: 1-800-Divorce.