How Does Domestic Violence Affect Child Custody?

Courts take allegations of domestic violence very seriously — especially when there are children involved. It is the duty of courts across Washington to ensure that the best interests of the children are upheld in any family law matter.

At our firm, Akiona Law, PLLC, in Everett, we have extensive experience assisting parents on both sides of a domestic violence matter. We know that preserving your relationship with your children is important to you, and we can help you determine how best to seek to do that.

Who will the children live with?

In a domestic violence situation, it is most likely that the children will reside primarily with the parent who was not accused of abuse. This is considered to be in the best interests of the children.

In some situations, however, a third party may be given custody if both parents are deemed unfit to care for the children.

Does the person accused of abuse have a right to see the kids?

If the parent is not accused of abusing the children, he will likely be given visitation rights. Visitation, however, does not necessarily mean the parent can be alone with the children. In many domestic violence situations, supervised visits are allowed with the parent accused of abuse.

No matter which side of the situation you are on, we can help you determine whether visits should be supervised by a professional, a family friend, a relative or someone else.

How do we exchange the children safely?

If you are afraid of your ex or simply do not want to put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, that can be taken into account when determining how you will transfer custody of your children. Your ex does not have to come to your house to pick up the kids — and he may not even be allowed to if there is a restraining order against him.

Fortunately, there are other options. Our team of attorneys can help you decide what is best for you and your children, whether it is conducting the exchange at a police station or some other public place. We can help you determine a safe option.

We Are Ready To Help. Meet Your Team In An Initial Consultation.

At our firm, we work as a team because working together gives our clients the best chance of success. To meet the lawyers who will be working for you, schedule your initial appointment by calling us at 425-740-2209. You can also set up a consultation online.