Seattle LGBTQ Family Lawyer
Our firm represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals and couples in all family-related legal matters. Whether you are preparing to start a family, you have questions about parental rights and responsibilities in Washington, or you are preparing to bring your relationship to an end, we can help. Each Seattle LGBTQ family lawyer at our firm has the experience and insights required to advise you effectively, and we are committed to providing each and every one of our clients with the caring and compassionate representation they deserve.
While there are certain unique aspects to family-related legal matters for LGBTQ individuals and couples in Washington, all individuals and couples fundamentally have the same legal rights and responsibilities. Regardless of your specific needs, our LGBTQ family lawyers can explain everything you need to know, and we can help ensure that you are making informed and confident decisions about your next steps.
Our Family Law Services for LGBTQ Individuals and Couples in Seattle
Our family law services for LGBTQ individuals and couples in Seattle include:
Parental Rights
In Washington, when a child is born to married parents (or parents in a registered domestic partnership), parentage is generally presumed for both spouses. However, in most other circumstances, no such presumption applies. When Washington’s presumption of parentage doesn’t apply, LGBTQ spouses and partners may need to take affirmative steps to establish their parental rights.
What this entails will depend on the specific circumstances at hand. In many cases, unmarried LGBTQ parents can file a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage (VAP) to establish their respective parental rights. But, additional steps may also be necessary, and, given the critical importance of clearly and unambiguously establishing parentage, it is important to work closely with an experienced Seattle LGBTQ family lawyer throughout this process.
Child Custody and Child Support
Along with helping LGBTQ parents establish parentage, we also help LGBTQ parents with child custody. This includes developing child custody plans for parents who do not live together (or who are preparing for a separation or divorce), as well as handling child custody modifications, enforcement, and other pertinent matters.
Our LGBTQ family lawyers are able to assist with child support and other child-related financial matters as well. While Washington has established a standard child support schedule, applying this schedule to your individual circumstances can be tricky, and the schedule won’t necessarily cover all family circumstances. Here, too, our lawyers can explain everything you need to know.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are tools that all couples can use to provide certainty for the future. Despite common misconceptions, entering into a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement is about much more than “planning for divorce.” Couples choose to enter into these agreements for a variety of reasons, and they can craft their agreements to address their specific long-term goals, needs, and priorities. If you are interested in entering into a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, our LGBTQ family lawyers can help you consider your options and craft a document that will serve you and your spouse for decades to come.
Committed Intimate Relationships
LGBTQ partners who choose not to get married can still enjoy many of the benefits of marriage through Washington’s recognition of their “committed intimate relationship.” The concept of a committed intimate relationship is similar (though not identical) to the concept of a common law marriage in other states.
Under Washington law, there are no precise requirements for establishing a committed intimate relationship. Instead, the law focuses on each couple’s specific circumstances—including the duration of their relationship, how long they have lived together, whether they have commingled their funds, and whether they have generally held themselves out as a couple. If you want to take steps to document your committed intimate relationship, a Seattle LGBTQ family lawyer at our firm can help. If you need to protect your legal rights as you leave a committed intimate relationship, our lawyers can help here as well.
Divorce
We represent LGBTQ spouses during the divorce process as well. If it is time to bring your marriage to an end, we can help you navigate the complexities of the process, from dividing your marital property to addressing the financial and child-related aspects of your divorce. Getting divorced involves making numerous important decisions with long-term implications, so it is critical that you have an experienced advocate on your side. In the vast majority of cases, divorcing spouses will be able to find a way to come to terms without going to court, and our LGBTQ family lawyers work to resolve our clients’ divorces amicably whenever possible.
Schedule a Confidential Consultation with a Seattle LGBTQ Family Lawyer Today
If you would like to speak with a Seattle LGBTQ family lawyer about any of our services discussed above, we invite you to get in touch. Call us at 206-784-3049 or contact us online to arrange a confidential consultation.