Co-parenting in Washington, without the 10 p.m. scramble
The school email. The $120 receipt. The pickup you have to confirm again. Hand Civly any of it as it arrived and it lands on one calendar both houses read — and if you ever need the record for Superior Court, where WA custody matters are heard, it's already there. You won't be building it at 10 p.m.
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Superior Court
handles custody in WA
Wash. Rev. Code § 26.09.187
custody statute
Washington custody law
Washington uses 'parenting plans' instead of custody orders and encourages parents to agree on residential schedules and decision-making arrangements.
What Washington courts consider in custody decisions
Washington courts give the greatest weight to the relative strength, nature, and stability of the child's relationship with each parent. Additional factors include each parent's past and potential performance of parenting functions (especially which parent took greater responsibility for daily needs), the child's emotional needs and developmental level, the child's relationship with siblings and other significant persons, the wishes of the parents and child, and each parent's employment schedule. Under RCW 26.09.191, the court must restrict a parent's residential time if that parent has engaged in domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, or has a substance abuse problem.
How the custody process works in Washington
Washington does not use the term 'custody' — instead, every case requires a Parenting Plan filed in Superior Court that covers residential time schedules and decision-making authority. Both parents must complete a mandatory parenting seminar within 60 days of service under RCW 26.12.172. If parents cannot agree, each must file a proposed permanent parenting plan. The court enters a final plan by applying the factors in RCW 26.09.187, with the child's existing relationship with each parent weighted most heavily.
Key Washington custody statutes
- Wash. Rev. Code § 26.09.187
- Wash. Rev. Code § 26.09.184
- Wash. Rev. Code § 26.09.191
How Civly helps Washington parents
One week, both houses, one version
Paste the school email or a calendar link and the events build themselves. Color-coded custody schedule from your own parenting plan. Share a read-only link with grandparents, attorneys, or mediators.
Say it how it comes out. Send the calm version.
Type or speak what you really feel — Civly writes the calm version — the one you would not cringe at if it were read back later. Your vent stays private and never enters an export. What you send is what gets kept.
Snap the receipt, skip the math
Snap a receipt or forward an email. AI extracts the amount. Your co-parent approves or disputes. Everything documented, timestamped, and exportable for your attorney.
Records your attorney can work with
Every message is timestamped, and exports as a certified PDF with a SHA-256 hash and a code anyone can check at civly.com/verify. How to present it in Washington's Superior Court system is your attorney's call, and whether a record is admitted is always the court's decision.
Pricing comparison
Civly
$79/year
or $7.99/month
- AI message rewriting
- Custody calendar
- Expense tracking
- Timestamped PDF exports
- Certified exports with verification codes
OurFamilyWizard Essentials
$149.99/year
Their cheapest tier that includes Writing Assistant. Cheaper OFW tiers exist without it. Per parent, list price August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
You don't need their agreement to start
Set up the calendar, log what's owed, draft the message you have to send tonight. Invite them when you're ready — the shared parts switch on the day they join.
Start tonight — $79/year30-day money-back guarantee. Available in every state.
Cities in Washington
Civly serves co-parents across Washington. Find local court info and resources for your city.
Civly is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. Custody law and the rules of evidence vary from state to state, and individual judges apply them differently. For advice about your own case, speak to a family law attorney licensed in Washington. Civly launched in 2026 and is not named in many court orders yet — if your order already requires a specific platform, keep using it and ask your attorney before switching.