Washington State Child Custody Statistics & Facts For 2010

The Washington State Court Research Unit has released some interesting facts and statistics regarding child custody and divorce proceedings in 2010. Here are some of the highlights:

•    18 percent of all child custody cases end in a fifty-fifty split in physical custody between the mother and father of the children.
•    Washington State children are more likely to have a parenting plan in which they spend more time in the custody of their mother.
•    88 percent of child custody cases in Washington State were decided by the parents themselves. Two percent of child custody cases were contested, while one out of ten were decided through default.
•    Six out of ten parents decide to represent themselves during a child custody trial in Washington State.
•    88 percent of Washington families experiencing divorce do not exhibit issues with domestic violence, child abuse, or substance abuse.
•    One out of ten fathers and four out of one hundred mothers had a “risk factor” or domestic violence, physical abuse, or drug addiction.
•    Almost fifty percent of parents preferred mediation as a form of child custody resolution, while just under 40 percent preferred a court setting.
•    Two-thirds of families with risk factors of abuse and violence preferred a court setting to settle child custody disputes.

Are you facing a child custody dispute in Washington State and would like to be represented by a lawyer? Contact a Mercer Island family law attorney for more information.