In an ideal world, divorcing or separating parents would be able to keep the best interests of the children separate from the battles. Undoubtedly, the children have already experienced enough stress. Children are resilient, and many adapt to the new circumstances after two or three years. Others, however, are more likely to develop emotional or physical problems. In adulthood, children of divorce are two to three times more likely to get divorced themselves.
Custody questions can be the most difficult to resolve. One parent may lie to the court, representing the other parent as unfit, in an attempt to get custody. Children can become pawns used as instruments of revenge. Some children become depressed and ‘act out’. A survey of California divorced parents in 2008 reported that two out of three parents felt that the divorce had harmed their children. People don’t get married and have children thinking that they will divorce, but it happens.
Attorneys play a critical role in the process. Are the parents able to reasonably negotiate custody and financial matters? Has there been abuse? Are both parents being truthful? A family law attorney should educate their client as to the legal realities and options available to them. The attorney needs the experience and skills to forcefully defend the parental rights of their client. The court will need to see parenting plans from each parent to help evaluate custody and visitation requests, and make a determination based upon the best interests of the children.
Lindsay Olsen PLLC focuses on family law issues, including divorce, child custody and adoption, guardianship and estate planning. They are diligent about keeping their clients fully informed and answering all of their questions. The attorneys utilize their experience and skill to achieve the best results possible. Craig Lindsay believes that the numerous times that he argued cases before a jury have given him the ability to quickly size up a case, identifying both strengths and weaknesses. Mr. Lindsay received his Juris Doctorate from Willamette University School of Law. Angela Olsen worked with children taken from their parents while in law school, convincing her that children badly needed legal representation. Since then, she has used her formidable skills to successfully represent her clients in a wide range of family law cases. She earned her J.D. at Seattle University School of Law.