Everett Family Law Blog

When Washington parents are unable to amicably negotiate child-related issues in divorce, litigation is often necessary. Custody and other parenting issues can prompt highly emotionally charged situations, as made evident by a current case involving reality TV star, Bethenny Frankel, and her ex, Jason Hoppy. Accusations of abuse and child endangerment are coming from both sides of this case.

As in all child custody cases where unfit parenting is an issue, it will be up to the judge overseeing Frankel's case to determine if there is merit to her accusations against Hoppy. She claims he is emotionally and mentally abusive and that his presence is a detriment to their daughter's health. Hoppy has reportedly admitted that he said some unkind things to Frankel in the past and is sorry for that. He also said, however, that she has exposed their daughter to numerous dangerous situations, including incidents where Frankel's now-deceased boyfriend (who died of drug overdose) was present and possibly using drugs in front of his daughter.

Washington spouses often encounter serious emotional challenges when they decide they no longer wish to maintain their marital relationships. Filing for divorce can be emotionally traumatic, even if the spouses involved no longer get along. The fact that they have shared an intimate life as spouses and, perhaps, parents of the same children means that calling it quits can evoke feelings of deep sorrow.

In addition to navigating the emotional roller coaster that often accompanies divorce, many spouses worry a lot about money, in particular, how their marital split will effect their finances. Safeguarding one's financial future is a high priority, especially when children are involved. One of the easiest ways to ensure that a fair settlement will be achieved is to entrust one's case to an experienced family law attorney.

If spouses throughout Washington state were to take a survey rating the current condition of their marriages, many would say their relationships are struggling. In fact, it is likely that by year's end, hundreds or perhaps thousands of spouses will file for divorce. Researchers spend a lot of time studying marital relationships and determining what types of issues most often prompt one or both spouses to want to end a marriage.

Lack of commitment typically ranks high on most researchers' lists of why spouses decide to call it quits. This issue can afflict couples who have only been together a year or two, as well as those who have shared several decades together. In addition to feeling like a partner is not committed to the relationship, many spouses cite infidelity as a causal factor in their divorce.

If you consider yourself to be in a high income or high asset household, going through the process of a divorce in Washington can be especially stressful. A high asset divorce generally means that there is a higher likelihood that you will deal with conflicts with your divorcing spouse regarding the division of assets, as well as other decisions that have particularly high stakes.

In addition to a propensity to enter a conflict in the realm of asset division, child custody decisions can additionally become more heated than usual in a high asset divorce. If you are worried about navigating certain challenges for the sake of your children in the divorce process, it is important that you understand more about the nature of these issues.