DocuSign Envelope ID: E8770C51-7510-47F5-928E-9B3914B89969




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                             IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
           7                                  FOR KING COUNTY

           8         In re the Marriage of:                    NO. 20-3-03830-3 SEA

           9           Petitioner:                             PARENTING EVALUATION

          10             VERONIKA GOODNIGHT,                   [PUBLIC DOCUMENT]

          11           And Respondent:
          12
                         MATHEW RALIDAK,
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          14                             I.       APPOINTMENT AND BACKGROUND

          15           This is an action to establish a parenting plan for the parties’ three children:
                Elora (age 6), Aidan (age 4) and Raina (age 2). The children’s parents, Veronika
          16    Goodnight and Mathew Ralidak, resided together from 2014 to 2020. After Veronika
                moved out in January 2020, the parties agreed to a residential schedule of alternate
          17    weeks for the children. In the summer of 2020, Veronika filed an action to establish a
                formal parenting plan confirming the shared schedule. In response, Mat sought a
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                temporary order placing the children primarily with him. The court maintained the
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                schedule of alternate weeks as a temporary parenting plan. In addition, the court
                appointed the undersigned to complete a parenting evaluation. The order requests
          20    investigation into all issues related to making a parenting plan for the children as well
                as mental health and substance abuse issues for Veronika.
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                       Mat relocated from Duvall to Everett while this matter was pending. He is
          22    seeking a parenting plan that places the children primarily in his care and has them
                attend school in Everett. He argues that Veronika is emotionally and economically
          23    unstable, suffers from an alcohol problem, and should not have primary care of the
                children. He proposes Veronika have residential time three weekends a month from
          24    Thursday to Sunday so that the children can spend most of their schooldays in his
                care.
          25
                                                                                  Law Offices of
                 PARENTING EVALUATION                                           Matthew Jolly
                 Page 1 of 5                                                  2737 77th Avenue SE
                                                                                     Suite 206
                                                                             Mercer Island, WA 98040
                                                                                 (425) 462-9394
DocuSign Envelope ID: E8770C51-7510-47F5-928E-9B3914B89969




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                       Veronika resides in Carnation, Washington. She proposes that the children
           2    continue to alternate residential weeks between the parents’ home. In part because
                of the geographic distance between the parents’ homes, she proposes that the
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                children be home schooled. She alleges that Mat is controlling and emotionally
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                abusive, that he abuses marijuana, and that his employment requires him to travel
                too much for the children to reside primarily in his care.
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                                           II.     INFORMATION FOR THE REPORT
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                         This Parenting Evaluation is based on the following information:
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                         A.      Video Interview with Mathew Ralidak – April 12, 2021
           8             B.      Video Interview with Veronika Goodnight – April 13, 2021
                         C.      Document Review (see below)
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                         D.      Telephone Interview with Diana Muggli – April 16, 2021
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                         E.      Telephone Interview with Monica Galarneau – April 16, 2021
                         F.      Telephone Interview with Larisa Ignacio – April 19, 2021
          11             G.      Telephone Interview with Deborah Oaks – April 19, 2021
                         H.      Telephone Interview with Amisha Zuber – April 21, 2021
          12             I.      Telephone Interview with Marcus Berley, MA, LMHC – April 23, 2021
                         J.      Telephone Interview with Ann Ralidak – April 26, 2021
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                                                   III.      RECOMMENDATIONS
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                The Guardian ad Litem recommends the following:
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                A.       Substance Use Evaluation for Mother. The mother should complete a
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                         substance use assessment from a licensed provider such as Associated
          17             Behavioral Health. The evaluation should include a period of random UA
                         testing and collateral contact with the father. The mother should abstain from
          18             all alcohol, marijuana, illegal drugs, and non-prescribed medications pending
                         the results of the evaluation (and thereafter if recommended by the
          19             evaluation). A copy of the final evaluation should be provided to both parents.
                         The mother should comply with any recommendations from the evaluation.
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                B.       Psychiatric Evaluation. The mother should complete a psychiatric assessment
          21             with Sea Mar Community Health Centers and comply with any
                         recommendations from said assessment. The evaluator should be provided a
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                         copy of this parenting evaluation as well as the prior mental health
          23             assessment from Sea Mar. The father should be provided with a copy of the
                         completed assessment. The mother should comply with the recommendations
          24             from that evaluation and provide written verification she has done so.

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                                                                                    Law Offices of
                 PARENTING EVALUATION                                             Matthew Jolly
                 Page 2 of 5                                                    2737 77th Avenue SE
                                                                                       Suite 206
                                                                               Mercer Island, WA 98040
                                                                                   (425) 462-9394
DocuSign Envelope ID: E8770C51-7510-47F5-928E-9B3914B89969




           1    C.       School Year Schedule. Assuming that the mother is in compliance with the
                         requirements of Section A and B above, the children should begin residing in
           2             her primary care commencing with the start of the 2021-2022 school year.
                         Under this outcome, the children should attend school in the Riverview School
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                         District (they should attend regular classes and not be home schooled unless
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                         otherwise agreed by both parents). The children should reside with the father
                         on alternate weekends from Thursday after school until Sunday evening at 6
           5             p.m. In addition, the father may travel to the mother’s home and spend
                         residential time on alternate Thursday evenings with the children from after
           6             school until 7 p.m. If the mother is not in compliance with the requirements of
                         Section A and B above by the commencement of the 2021-2022 school year,
           7             the children should reside in the primary care of the father and the above
                         residential schedule should be reversed with the children attending school at
           8             the public school associated with the father’s residential address. In order to
                         be deemed in compliance with Sections A and B above, the mother must have
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                         completed the evaluations but need not have completed any associated
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                         treatment recommendations (though she should immediately enroll). Should
                         either parent relocate such that the parents reside within the same school
          11             district, the parent children should reside equally with both parents on a
                         schedule of alternate weeks (i.e. same as the current temporary parenting
          12             plan).

          13    D.       Summer Schedule. During the summer, the children should reside equally with
                         both parents in the summer on a schedule of alternate weeks (i.e. same as the
          14             current temporary parenting plan).
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                E.       Transportation. Transportation should be provided by the receiving parent
                         PROVIDED THAT the visiting parent should provide all transportation for the
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                         mid-week evening visit recommended on alternate Thursdays.
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                F.       Holiday Residential Time: The children should spend Mother’s Day with the
          18             mother and Father’s Day with the father from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The
                         parents should alternate having the children on holidays including
          19             Thanksgiving Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend,
                         Halloween, and July 4th. If the schedule for Thanksgiving Weekend, Memorial
          20             Day Weekend, or Labor Day Weekend results in a parent having the children
                         for two weekends in a row, the other parent should have the children for the
          21             following two weekends after which alternation should resume.
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                G.       Winter Break. The parents should share residential time over Winter Vacation.
          23             The children should reside with the mother for the first half of Winter Vacation
                         and with the father for the second half in even years. In odd years, this
          24             schedule should be reversed. The vacation should commence when school

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                                                                                  Law Offices of
                 PARENTING EVALUATION                                           Matthew Jolly
                 Page 3 of 5                                                  2737 77th Avenue SE
                                                                                     Suite 206
                                                                             Mercer Island, WA 98040
                                                                                 (425) 462-9394
DocuSign Envelope ID: E8770C51-7510-47F5-928E-9B3914B89969




           1             lets out and end when school resumes with the dividing point occurring at
                         noon on Christmas Day.
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                H.       Spring Break. The children should spend Spring Vacation with the mother in
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                         even years and with the father in odd years. The vacation should be defined
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                         as commencing the Sunday after school lets out at 6 p.m. and ending the
                         Friday before school resumes at 6 p.m. so as not to disrupt the alternating
           5             weekend residential schedule.

           6    I.       Mid-Winter Break. If the children’s school district has a mid-winter break, the
                         children should spend Mid-Winter Vacation with the mother in odd years and
           7             the father in even years.

           8    J.       Both parents should be restrained from making negative or derogatory
                         comments about the other parent in front of the children, including negative
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                         comments about the other parent’s relatives or significant other. Both parents
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                         should be restrained from discussing this litigation with the children. Neither
                         parent should show any court documents or this report to the children or allow
          11             the children to have access to such documents. Both parents should be
                         restrained from encouraging the children to make negative comments about
          12             the other parent or the other parent’s significant other. Both parents should be
                         restrained from discussing child support terms with the children.
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                K.       The parents should make major decisions on behalf of the children jointly.
          14             Both parents shall have equal access to the children’s school records,
                         teachers, doctors, and other providers. Disputes about joint decisions or
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                         about what portions of the parenting plan mean should be submitted to
                         mediation with a designated mediator.
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          17    L.       Each parent shall provide the other parent promptly with receipt of any
                         significant information regarding the welfare of the child, including physical and
          18             mental health.

          19    M.       Neither parent shall advise the children of the status of child support payments
                         or other legal matters regarding the parental relationship and obligation.
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                N.       Neither parent shall use the children, directly or indirectly, to gather
          21             information about the other parent or take verbal messages to the other
                         parent.
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          23    O.       Neither parent shall ask the child to make decisions or requests involving the
                         residential schedule with the child except for plans which have already been
          24             agreed to by both parents in advance.

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                                                                                   Law Offices of
                 PARENTING EVALUATION                                             Matthew Jolly
                 Page 4 of 5                                                   2737 77th Avenue SE
                                                                                      Suite 206
                                                                              Mercer Island, WA 98040
                                                                                  (425) 462-9394
DocuSign Envelope ID: E8770C51-7510-47F5-928E-9B3914B89969




           1    P.       If a parent is traveling out of state with the children (or any of the children),
                         he/she shall provide advance notice to the other parent including a general
           2             itinerary and contact information.
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                                   4/30/2021
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                         Date: _______________               __________________________________
                                                             Matthew Jolly, WSBA #23167
           5                                                 Parenting Evaluator

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                                                                                      Law Offices of
                 PARENTING EVALUATION                                               Matthew Jolly
                 Page 5 of 5                                                      2737 77th Avenue SE
                                                                                         Suite 206
                                                                                 Mercer Island, WA 98040
                                                                                     (425) 462-9394
