Month: January 2023

You may have heard the terms “Judge Pro Tem” or “Commissioner Pro Tem” in the context of family law cases. Like many legal terms, these words are perhaps made more obscure by the use of latin. However, you do not need to be alarmed – it is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. A Seattle family law attorney can walk you through what the involvement of a judge pro tem or commissioner pro tem means for your case. 

What is the Difference Between a Judge and a Court Commissioner? 

First, a brief explanation – understanding the differences between judges and court commissioners will help you better understand the difference between a judge pro tem and a commissioner pro tem. To start, judges are elected positions, while court commissioners are appointed or hired by the courts to take on some limited judicial functions (like hearing family law motions)

When parents used to divorce, the typical arrangement used to be that one parent (typically the mother) would be awarded primary custody of the children while the other parent would have visitation rights. The parent with visitation rights would then pay child support to the parent with primary custody. 

Today, however, it is widely accepted that divorcing parents should strive for a more balanced arrangement. As a result, some parents, often through agreement, have 50/50 parenting plans. In other words, each parent has the children 50% of the time. They may assume that since they equally share the parenting, neither would owe any child support to the other.

That, however, is generally not the case and often comes as an unpleasant surprise. Working with an experienced child custody lawyer, however, can help you plan for this possibility and ensure that the end result is fair for everyone

Many couples live together for a long time, accumulate property, and even have children, all without getting married. While this isn’t all that unusual, there are a number of misconceptions revolving around these situations and what it means when the couple separates. If you are unmarried but separating from a long-term partner, an experienced family law attorney can help you understand your rights. 

What is Common Law Marriage?

This is an old concept whereby a couple can become “married” simply by living together long-term and holding themselves out as a married couple. This can include doing things such as telling people they are married, holding property as a married couple, and having children. Although the couple is not legally married, the couple would be treated the same as any other married couple under common law marriage doctrine. 

Is There Common Law Marriage in Washington State?

A few states