Bruce Clement’s Guides

Parents may be court ordered to provide College Support ("Post Secondary Education Support", or PSES) to their college-bound child. However, there are no clear guidelines for calculating the shares to be paid by the parents and the child. This Legal Guide gives one example of how this might be done.

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This Legal Guide discusses which state will have child custody jurisdiction when American parents have resided in Japan for over six months, one of them is active duty military, there is no existing parenting plan, and one of the parties is going to relocate to Washington State.

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In the current economy the distribution of responsibility for debts often is the most pressing issue for couples going through a divorce. This Legal Guide will discuss some of the most important problems in this process, and identify several common solutions.

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Many people who are considering separating from their spouse want to know first whether they should seek a legal separation, or a divorce. The purpose of this Legal Guide is to explain the differences in these two court procedures, and list some of the pros and cons of each.

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Violation of a parenting plan is actually violation of a court order, and can constitute what attorneys refer to as “contempt of court”. Contempt of court can result in an award of sanctions (fines), attorneys fees, reduced visitations, and in severe cases jail time or a change in custody.

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I have previously written AVVO Legal Guides on child abuse in dependency cases filed by Washington State Child Protection Services. This current Legal Guide addresses how child abuse and neglect can affect custody decisions in grandparent and other non-parental custody cases.

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If you are under investigation for child abuse or neglect, it is often possible to take a pro-active approach to prevent your child’s removal from the home, or to get your child back if placed in foster care. This Legal Guide discusses the statutory basis for a court finding of abuse or neglect.

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In Washington State the parties in many family law cases must try to resolve their dispute by some form of “alternative dispute resolution” (ADR). This Legal Guide discusses the different types and procedures for ADR, with an emphasis on the most common form, which is mediation.

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Bruce Clement's previous AVVO Legal Guide ("Relocation With the Children") gave an overview of the Relocation Act (RCW 26.09.405 et seq.) The court is required in all relocation cases to consider 11 factors listed by the statute. (RCW 26.09.520). This Legal Guide lists these statutory factors.

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In matters of child custody, it is important for both parents to maintain a healthy relationship with their children. But if one parent is harming the children, or undermining the other parent's relationship with the children, it is possible to seek a parenting plan modification from the courts.

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