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Family Law2022-10-20T19:08:18+00:00

Get legal advice from a Kitsap County Family Law Attorney!

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Representing Kitsap Family Law Attorney and Family Law themes, this image shows a single father with his children.

What is Family Law?

Family Law is a broad area of the law pertaining to marriage, domestic relations and the security of families and children. In our practice of Family Law in Kitsap County, a family law attorney works with parents to create peace of mind and family stability through the application of Washington State Law.

We help clients with matters such as:

  • Creating or modifying parenting plans;
  • Establishing or adjusting child support;
  • Establishing paternity and parentage through the courts;
  • Seeking non-parental, third-party custody of minor children;
  • Creating Property Agreements such as Prenuptial Agreements.

We work with clients across Kitsap County, including Port Orchard, Bremerton, Silverdale, Kingston, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and outlying areas, as well as clients outside of Kitsap County with family law matters under the jurisdiction of the Kitsap County Superior Court to ensure that both parents and children are afforded strong legal advocacy to gain crucial protections and equitable resolutions in Family Law matters.

Kitsap County Family Law Attorneys Helping Kitsap Families

At Compass Legal Services, P.S. our experienced, local Kitsap County Family Law Attorneys have served as a resource for hundreds of local families, helping parents to create peace of mind and security for themselves and their children.  We honor and respect the thriving diversity of families throughout our local communities and place the highest importance on the safety and well-being of children.

Children Matter in Family Law

Children have the right to be loved and supported by both parents whenever that right does not conflict with their safety and well-being.  Likewise, parents have a responsibility and a right to provide care and support for their children.  These principles are at the very heart of Family Law.

Our Approach to Family Law

Our Kitsap County Family Law Attorneys and staff understand the highly personal and often stressful nature of Family Law matters and the broad impacts that both the processes and outcomes of these matters may have on our clients and, especially, their children.  As such, we work hard to build a practice that treats all people with dignity, compassion and respect; promoting ethical and responsible conflict resolution while staunchly advocating and protecting the best interests of our clients.

Types of Family Law Cases

Under Washington law, a matter may be brought to the court for Child Support Adjustment as soon as 24 months after the last child support order was entered. Adjustments are generally used to recalculate the support based on current incomes of the parents. Either parent may ask for a Child Support Modification based on a significant change in circumstances. If something major has changed that effects the cost of raising the children or effecting the parenting plan, a parent may ask the court to change provisions in the order of child support to accommodate the new situation.
Compass Legal Services, P.S. is happy to provide assistance with both Child Support Adjustment or Child Support Modification. To schedule a consultation please contact our office at 360.471.3300.

Parenting Plans set out the general schedule for which parent is responsible for the children on any particular day. It also sets out how to handle disputes between the parents on child-related matters, and how decisions for the children will be made. Parents of children who live apart, whether ever married to each other or not, can greatly benefit from a parenting plan.
Compass Legal Services, P.S. is happy to provide assistance with establishment, modification or enforcement of a Parenting Plan. To schedule a consultation please contact our office at 360.471.3300.

Third Party Custody matters arise where a third party other than a parent or existing guardian seeks to gain guardianship of a minor child. Often times the third party is a close relative. Many circumstances may create conditions where a parent or current guardian is unable to properly care for the child and a third party custody is considered in the best interest of the child.
Compass Legal Services, P.S. can provide assistance if you are considering a Third Party Custody action. To schedule a consultation please contact our office at 360.471.3300.

Parentage cases are about establishing who is a legal parent of a child. In more recent years, laws regarding who may be considered a legal parent have changed. Parentage must be established before matters such as child support and parenting plans may be addressed.
If you are seeking to establish Parentage of a minor child in Kitsap County, Washington, Compass Legal Services, P.S. may be able to help you. To schedule a consultation please contact our office at 360.471.3300.

When to call a Family Law Lawyer

Waiting to reach out for help is always a bad idea, especially if you have been served with court documents that carry a deadline for a response or if a hearing is already scheduled. If you think you need legal advice or don’t feel comfortable managing your case or going to court on your own, don’t wait until a week or a couple of days before a hearing or a deadline to reach out as most firms do not have walk-in availability. Our attorneys can provide you with specific guidance and support to help you address your legal matter with confidence.
To schedule a legal consultation, call our office at 360.471.3300.

Contacting Compass Legal Services, P.S.

If you are ready to discuss your legal matter with a Kitsap County Family Law Attorney here at Compass Legal Services, P.S. we invite you to call our office at 360.471.3300 to schedule a legal consultation.  We strongly encourage anyone involved in or considering action regarding a Family Law matter to be proactive and reach out for help and guidance, if needed, as early as possible.

Kitsap & Washington Family Law Resources

Other Considerations in Family Law

Divorce and Legal Separation

Divorce and Legal Separation are complex legal matters included in Family Law practice.  In order to more fully address these matters we have created a portion of our website to that discussion.  We address these matters in detail on our Divorce and Legal Separation page.

Military Family Law

It is our honor to provide  family law services for our local military community and those stationed outside of Kitsap County with family law matters under the jurisdiction of the Kitsap County Superior Court.  For more information about Military Family Law at Compass Legal Services, P.S. please visit our Military Family Law page.

Questions about hiring a Family Law Lawyer

1. Do you have an open case related to any of the following?

  1. Parenting Plan
  2. Child Support
  3. Third Party Custody
  4. Parentage or Paternity

2. Do you have an existing Parenting Plan or Child Support order that you would like to have modified or enforced?

3. Do you have children, but you are unmarried and no longer in a relationship with the other parent and need to put a parenting plan and child support into place?

4. Are you a military service member and answered yes to any of these questions?

If you answered yes to any of these questions and you and your children have lived in Kitsap County for 6 months or more, or you have a court order entered in Kitsap County regarding these matters, you may benefit significantly from hiring or consulting with a local Family Law Attorney.

At Compass Legal Services, P.S. we have on staff a former Naval Officer and JAG Corps attorney with a unique vantage point to assist military service members in Family Law matters.  For more information on Military Family Law services visit our Military Family Law page.

Property Agreements are documents designed to address how domestically related parties (married or unmarried partners in long-term committed relationships) will share assets, property, debts, and responsibilities to each other.  Some common types of property agreements include:

  • Premarital Agreement (Prenuptial Agreements or Prenup) / Post-marital Agreement
  • Community Property Agreement
  • Cohabitation Agreement
  • Separation Agreement

Review the following questions to help you decide if you and your partner should consider creating a Property Agreement.

  1. Are you planning to get married or live with your unmarried partner or other adult and want to ensure that your personal property and assets are protected from “what if’s” that arise in relationships?
  2. Are you already married but you need to memorialize agreements between you and your spouse regarding separate personal property and community property?
  3. Has your spouse, fiancé or significant other asked you to sign a Pre-Marital Agreement (Prenuptial Agreement or Prenup), Post-Marital Agreement, Cohabitation Agreement or some other type of property agreement?

An attorney can explain how property agreements work, what they can and cannot do and draft legal sound documents.  Additionally, both parties should consult with an attorney who can review and provide legal advice regarding the property agreement before it is signed.  Generally speaking, property agreements should only be signed before a Notary.  Compass Legal Services, P.S. can provide notary service for signing property agreements; however, we do not typically notarize agreements unless each party has had a separate attorney review and provide counsel regarding the agreement.

The Family Law Blogs

Compass Legal Services, P.S. goes in depth on Washington State and Kitsap County Family Law

For more information about specific topics in Family Law check out the articles below or visit our full blog.

Schedule a Family Law, Divorce, Estate Planning or Business Consultation Today. 1.360.471.3300
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