Family Law:

Non-Traditional Approaches To Family Law

While the attorneys at Yakima Law are both trial tested litigators, they recognize that most cases do not require the extensive costs of heated litigation. Many people today just want to start the next chapter of their lives without the drama, spectacle, and cost of trying to 'destroy' the other person. If this sounds appealing to you, we offer the following services:

• Flat Fee Uncontested Divorces allow couples who have already agreed on what their dissolution will look like to simply and easily transition out of marriage. We will prepare all the documents to your specifications and get you through the process without delay or unnecessary litigation. We offer a $2,000 flat fee dissolution for those without children and $3,000 for those who also need a parenting plan and child support order.
• Collaborative Law is a new preactice in family law. It's a perfect fit for those who still have good communication together, even if they don't agree on every issue. Collaborative law allows both parties to talk through their issues along with their own collaborative law attorney so that they can feel confident that they are crafting an equitable resolution, instead of letting their fate hang on a judge's decision. Both parties and their lawyers sit down and talk through the issues in a constructive and positive environment to try and find common ground during this stressful time.
• Mediation is perfect for those cases that don't fit neatly into the other two options. Washington State requires all cases that don't involve domestic violence to try and settle their matter through mediation. Mediation is a non-binding dispute resolution process where a neutral mediator will work with both sides to talk through their issues, try to find solutions to them, and even sometimes providing a sounding board for your legal claims. As this is a voluntary, confidential process, it is designed to allow parties to talk through their issues to find a resolution.

Dissolution

A divorce is one of the hardest issues you can face in life. Separating one family into two separate homes is stressful on the parties and highly disruptive to the children. Our goal is to help guide you through the law in Washington to make this process less daunting and confusing. There is no ignoring that this is a stressful time, even for those who agree on how the separation should look like.

• Setting up a parenting plan that works! No two families are alike, and so every parenting plan requires tailoring to your family's needs.
• Valuing Community Assets / Liabilities! In Washington State, from the time you say "I do" until the time you say "I don't" a couple is creating a community estate that will need to be divided. We can help properly establish and separate what is community property from separate property, then to make sure it's proper value is distributed equitably.
• Pushing a timetable! In Yakima and Kittitas counties, parties can often feel like their case is going no where because trials are not automatically set. While trials are usually unnecessary, having a 'goal line' can help focus parties on coming to a final agreement.
• Learn more about how we can help with your family law matter.

Parentage / Parenting Plans

Not everyone gets married, but everyone with a child needs a well thought out parenting plan. We can help establish father's as the parent of their child as well as craft a parenting plan that can set up meaningful time for both parents. There is never a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter form that can encapsulate all the things that make your child / family unique. So our legal teams take the time to get to know you and how best to address your issues.

Other Services:

Adoption / 3rd Party Custody

Sometimes people take on a role greater than they were born to. Whether its a step-parent who fills the shoes of someone who walked out on their family or a grandparent who has saved their child from an unhealthy environment, we can help make sure that your family is protected legally. The process for adoption and non-parental custody are tricky, even for attorneys, so it's important to make sure your representation has experience in this area. Yakima Law has been handling family law matters for years helping clients Achieve stability and recognize their role in a child's life.

Dependency

When the State steps in to take a child away from their parents it can be heart breaking process where you feel marginalized without a voice. After the initial Shelter-Care hearing, the process is long but we can help make sure the Department offers you the services they are required to and for your voice to be heard in court so that no one loses track of the ultimate goal: returning the child to their parents. We can provide zealous representation to make sure that you are not just another statistic of the system.

Domestic Violence / Harassment / Stalking / Sexual Assault

Sadly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced domestic violence in some form by an intimate partner as reported by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. With years of experience Yakima Law knows the toll that DV can take on everyone in the family, the fear of not being able to speak out or escape. We also know how best to address these issues, obtain protection orders, and structure parenting plans to make sure we break the cycle of violence. We will stand with you throughout the entire process to make sure your voice is heard.