A Family Law Blog by Patrick Songy
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SEPARATIONÂ WITH INTEGRITY
A Divorce Lawyer's Lessons from Practice

The Bad Divorce Friend - The Repeater
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that I am a vocal advocate for people forming "survival committees" of...

The Other Side of Advocacy
Typically, I write this blog for the litigants, but this post is for the litigators. Being a family law lawyer is a challenging endeavor....

Manners and Anxiety: A Matter of Burning Extremities
Can you recite the pledge of allegiance? Could you do it while you were driving? Could you do it while doing a math problem? Could you do...

Negotiating in the Dark
"Oh, she's willing to negotiate, but she won't tell you anything about her assets or income until you agree to the parenting plan she...

Timing is Everything
It is not uncommon for someone to come into my office for an initial divorce consultation with a spreadsheet containing a proposed...

Trauma and the Future
A dear friend of mine defines maturity in people as "a deep ability to connect present actions to future outcomes." I generally agree...

Different Parenting Plans for Different Ages and Stages
A common mistake made by clients (and Courts) is adoption of a "one size fits all" attitude for parenting plans. The reality of parenting...

Domestic Violence Protection Orders and How They Relate to Divorce
Tragically, domestic violence is a frequent part of family law proceedings. Many victims of domestic violence think, "I should get a...

It Can Take Several Tries - The Challenges of Leaving
One of the most common scenarios in my family law practice: A client comes in for a consultation on a divorce. In the course of the...

When To Bring In Another Voice - Using Third Parties in Parenting Disputes
Once the lawyers and judges have made their way out of your life, you are left with the often challenging job of co-parenting. If there...

Practitioner's Corner: Dogs and Divorce - The Strange Tale of Kona and Mr. Bear
This blog is the first entry in the "Practitioner's Corner" series, where I discuss recent developments in Washington case law that...

Bad Weather and Parenting Plans
Your co-parent's residential time with the child starts tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. In the parenting plan, it's your job to get the...

Sometimes It Takes the Right Messenger
I first encountered this phenomenon with my own child. When he was little, my wife and I were struggling with potty training. My son was...

How Good Are Your Tools? A Guide to Learning Co-Parenting
There are several things in life you likely learned from your family - how to cook, how to drive, how to act at work... the list goes on...

Falling Off the Horse: Children's View of Parents During a Divorce
Brene Brown shares a great story in one of her TED talks about a father who came with his daughters to a book-signing she was doing. As...

Dating and Divorce
"Want to turn an easy divorce into a hard divorce? Date someone while the divorce hasn't been finalized yet. Want to make it really hard?...

No Perfect Messenger, No Perfect Message - Diplomacy and Divorces
Often, when clients and I are preparing the initial paperwork for a divorce, there is major agonizing over the phrasing of the cover...

Epilogue: Talking to Your Adult Children About Divorce
Sometimes, my clients want to avoid legal conflicts because they would be difficult or costly. I certainly understand that, and sometimes...

Guest Employment Law Blog: Can I lose my job if I don’t get vaccinated?
The Guest Blog this week comes from Deno Millikan, PLLC partner Joel Nichols, whose employment law expertise has been highly sought after...



















