Adequate Cause

A temporary parenting plan or custody agreement contains information about where your child will live and how you and the other parent will care for your child during the divorce proceedings. A temporary plan lasts until the divorce is finalized and the permanent parenting plan is in place, usually one to six months.

To start a custody change, you have to file a motion in court. Go to the Motion for custody change page to find the forms you need. Explain your proposed changes and why they meet the requirements above. File them in the court where the original order was made.

The adequate cause hearing is used to determine whether the moving party has presented enough evidence to allow the case to continue or whether the petition should be denied. This information has to have been submitted in written declarations or other proof and filed with the court in advance of the hearing.

A parent seeking to modify custody in Washington must file legal forms with the court, including a Petition for Modification of Adjustment of Child Custody Decree/Parenting Plan. The petition should specify what kinds of custody changes the parent is seeking.

Washington child custody laws don't use the terms "custody" and "visitation." Instead, they refer to these arrangements collectively as a "parenting plan." A family law judge will determine whether a parenting plan provides the most loving and stable relationship between the children and each parent.

Modification of the decree is done by filing a Petition to Modify the Decree and supporting documents demonstrating a substantial change of circumstance with the court, and serving those documents on the opposing party before the child is emancipated.

At any point after receiving a divorce settlement, you can file a motion to modify certain aspects of the decree. Though courts will usually not consider amending an order regarding property division, they may agree to modify a custody, child support, or spousal maintenance order.

If you can demonstrate to the court that the child's needs have changed, you may have grounds for a custody modification. If a child develops a mental, emotional, or physical disorder, and one parent is better suited to care for the child, that could also provide a reason for a judge to change custody.

A parent seeking to modify custody in Washington must file legal forms with the court, including a Petition for Modification of Adjustment of Child Custody Decree/Parenting Plan. The petition should specify what kinds of custody changes the parent is seeking.