In a recent Washington custody case, a mother challenged a parenting plan that required her to undergo a particular form of therapy to receive equal residential time with the child. An appeals court reviews the provisions of a parenting plan under a manifest abuse of discretion standard, meaning the trial’s decision is manifestly unreasonable or based on untenable grounds or reasons.
The parents were in a committed intimate relationship from the middle of 2015 to late 2018. They had a child in September 2017. Each party had alleged intimate partner violence against the other. The mother was arrested for domestic violence in September 2018, but the father’s petition for a protection order was dismissed for lack of evidence.
The mother petitioned for a parenting plan, among other things. The court entered a temporary parenting plan that gave the parties equal residential time and joint education and healthcare decision-making. The court appointed a parenting coordinator who conducted a parenting evaluation.