Court Opinion

ID: 9897943
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-14 19:27:15.951967+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:14:49.323438
License: Public Domain

FILED
                                                        SEPTEMBER 21, 2023
                                                      In the Office of the Clerk of Court
                                                     WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

      COURT OF APPEALS, DIVISION III, STATE OF
                  WASHINGTON
In re the Marriage of:                           )       No. 39423-9-III
                                                 )
SARAH HANNAH,                                    )
                                                 )
                 Respondent,                     )       ORDER GRANTING
                                                 )       MOTION TO PUBLISH
          and                                    )
                                                 )
JON-LUKE McADAMS,                                )
                                                 )
                 Appellant.                      )

      THE COURT has considered nonparties Family Violence Appellate Project,

National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, Project DVORA / Jewish Family

Service, Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers, and the Domestic Violence Legal

Empowerment and Appeals Project’s motion to publish the court’s opinion filed on

August 1, 2023, and the response thereto, and is of the opinion the motion to publish

should be granted. Therefore,

      IT IS ORDERED the motion to publish is granted. The opinion filed by the court

on August 1, 2023, shall be modified on page 1 to designate it is a published opinion

and on page 19 by deletion of the following language:

             A majority of the panel has determined this opinion will not be
      printed in the Washington Appellate Reports, but it will be filed for public
      record pursuant to RCW 2.06.040.

      PANEL:        Judges Lawrence-Berrey, Pennell, and Staab

      FOR THE COURT:

                                                 ________________________________
                                                 GEORGE FEARING
                                                 CHIEF JUDGE
                                                                FILED
                                                             AUGUST 1, 2023
                                                       In the Office of the Clerk of Court
                                                      WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

           IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
                              DIVISION THREE

In re the Marriage of:                       )         No. 39423-9-III
                                             )
SARAH HANNAH,                                )
                                             )
                     Respondent,             )
                                             )         UNPUBLISHED OPINION
              and                            )
                                             )
JON-LUKE McADAMS,                            )
                                             )
                     Appellant.              )

       LAWRENCE-BERREY, A.C.J. — Jon-Luke McAdams appeals after the trial court

determined that adequate cause did not exist for him to seek modification of his parenting

plan to grant him mutual decision-making authority over his children. He argues the trial

court erred in its determination and by sanctioning him by requiring him to pay Sarah

Hannah1 her reasonable attorney fees. We disagree and affirm. We additionally conclude

that this appeal is frivolous and award Ms. Hannah her reasonable attorney fees on

appeal.

       Ms. Hannah identifies as nonbinary, but uses the honorific “Ms.” and she/her
       1

pronouns in her briefing.
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

                                         FACTS

       The parties share two children. Under the temporary parenting plan in place

during their divorce proceedings, Mr. McAdams had limited visits with the children,

which increased in time as he engaged in and complied with treatment for alcohol use

disorder and domestic violence.

       Permanent parenting plan

       In the permanent parenting plan, the superior court found that Mr. McAdams had a

history of domestic violence and a long-term problem with substance abuse. The parties

agreed there would be no limitations on either parent, and the court granted sole decision-

making to Ms. Hannah. The court’s reasons for doing so were twofold: first, the court

was required to limit decision-making because of the domestic violence finding, and,

second, Ms. Hannah did not want to share decision-making, which was reasonable

because of Mr. McAdams’s substance abuse problems and their inability to cooperate

with each other in decision-making. The parenting plan provided that the children would

live with Mr. McAdams approximately 5 out of every 14 days.

       The court listed a number of provisions in section 14 of the parenting plan so the

parties could safely and effectively communicate, given Mr. McAdams’s history of

domestic violence and alcohol abuse:

                                             2
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

      •      Using an app to communicate;
      •      Prohibiting Mr. McAdams from using nonprescribed drugs or
             alcohol;
      •      Prohibiting the parties from making derogatory remarks about the
             other within the hearing range of the children;
      •      Prohibiting the parties from using the children to gather information
             about the other;
      •      Prohibiting the parties from discussing the litigation or adult issues
             with the children;
      •      Requiring Mr. McAdams to obtain a urinalysis if Ms. Hannah
             reasonably believes he is under the influence of alcohol;
      •      Requiring Mr. McAdams to engage in family counseling with the
             children, with both parents having access to the children’s records
             from the counselor;
      •      Prohibiting the parties from having face-to-face contact, and
             requiring Mr. McAdams to stay an appropriate distance from Ms.
             Hannah; and
      •      Enabling Ms. Hannah to return to court and request a restraining
             order, and providing that any violation of section 14 of the parenting
             plan would be prima facie evidence for the basis of a restraining
             order.

Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 7.

      Petition for modification

      On August 17, 2022, Mr. McAdams petitioned to modify the parties’ parenting

plan. He did not request a major or minor modification; rather, he requested “other

changes” under RCW 26.09.260(10), specifically changes to decision-making because of

a claimed substantial change in one parent or child’s situation. CP at 12. Mr. McAdams

explained:

                                            3
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

       I have addressed the [domestic violence] and substance abuse issues that led
       to my limited decision-making. Sarah is making sweeping unilateral
       decisions that are so important regarding my daughter[’s] gender identity
       that I ask to be involved as a parent, and to assure [sic] the best interests of
       my daughter are met. These substantial changes in circumstances merit my
       full involvement in decision-making.

CP at 12.

       Although Mr. McAdams filed a petition to modify the parenting plan, he did not

move for a finding of adequate cause. Ms. Hannah instead did so, asking the court to

deny the petition, and was thus considered the moving party below. Ms. Hannah argued

there had not been any substantial change in circumstances. She noted in regard to a

restraining order request, “I believe the respondent’s litigation is frivolous and intended to

harass me. It may be necessary for the court to add protections for me to protect me from

abusive use of litigation.” CP at 19. She further stated in a declaration that Mr.

McAdams “continues to try to manipulate me, use the children as a weapon, engage in

unnecessary conflict, and continues his attempts to control and cause me harm.”

CP at 23. Ms. Hannah recounted a number of instances where Mr. McAdams delayed

signing necessary forms or taking actions to separate their assets as required by the decree

of dissolution. In one instance, Mr. McAdams had their minor children sign a form as

witnesses, requiring resubmission of the form and needlessly involving the children in

litigation.

                                              4
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

       Ms. Hannah explained that she and her partner were nonbinary and her children

had become curious about gender identity. Ms. Hannah had researched how to explain

gender identity in a neutral manner and found a book written for children. The book

answered the children’s questions, and they asked to take the book home to read with Mr.

McAdams. Mr. McAdams refused to read the book and accused Ms. Hannah of

attempting to influence the children to be nonbinary. Their older daughter, then seven

years old, appeared naturally curious about gender as it applied to her, and Ms. Hannah

proposed counseling so their daughter could talk to someone neutral about her feelings.

       Ms. Hannah stated she could not foresee a time where she would be able to interact

with Mr. McAdams in person or make decisions with him because of “the domestic

violence in our marriage and his continued harassment and attempts to manipulate me

since the final orders were entered . . . . It would not be in the best interest of our

daughters to force me to interact with my abuser and the statute protects me from having

to do so.” CP at 26.

       Mr. McAdams responded that there had been a substantial change of

circumstances because he had completed his domestic violence and substance abuse

requirements and had no problems since. Additionally, their daughter was going through

a substantial change in circumstances “regarding her gender issues.” CP at 42. He

                                               5
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

opined that nonbinary genders were not common and thus their daughter needed the

involvement of professionals and both parents to serve her best interests. He did not want

Ms. Hannah’s “enthusiasm for her non-binary lifestyle [to] pass over into advocacy of a

non-binary gender for” their older daughter. CP at 44. He wanted “objective,

professional, counseling for the girls, and . . . full involvement in that process to make

sure all the dialogue is healthy on such a fraught issue.” CP at 46.

       Mr. McAdams stated he did not seek to change any limitations and was only

seeking mutual decision-making. He explained that he had delayed signing legal and

financial documents for Ms. Hannah because of COVID-19 and fear of violating a

restraining order, and asserted that Ms. Hannah was not ultimately harmed. He was not

aware of an age requirement for witnesses and the children did not know they were

signing a legal document as he told them they were practicing their handwriting.

He submitted messages between himself and Ms. Hannah purporting to show that they

could cooperate about parenting.

       Despite not requesting any major or minor modification in his petition and stating

he did not seek any adjustment other than mutual decision-making, Mr. McAdams

submitted a proposed parenting plan that contained numerous changes from the parties’

permanent parenting plan. It removed the findings that he had a history of domestic

                                              6
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

violence and substance abuse that interfered with his ability to parent. It altered a number

of provisions relating to the children’s residential schedule and the parties’ dispute

resolution process.

       Mr. McAdams’s proposed parenting plan also substantially altered the “other”

provisions in section 14. It removed the outright prohibition on face-to-face contact,

instead providing that face-to-face contact should be avoided. It replaced the unilateral

conditions on Mr. McAdams’s substance use into bilateral conditions that applied to both

parents. It removed the condition that neither parent discuss the litigation or adult issues

with their children. It removed the provision that Mr. McAdams engage in family

counseling with their children and giving both parents access to the children’s counseling

records. Instead, it gave both parties “full and complete access to all records involving

the children, no matter the location or source of the records.” CP at 40. Finally, it

removed the provision that violation of any part of section 14 was prima facie evidence

for a restraining or protection order.

       Ms. Hannah replied that Mr. McAdams’s domestic violence and substance abuse

treatment had occurred before the entry of the permanent parenting plan and could not be

a substantial change in circumstances. She argued that because gender was a societal

issue, it was expected that children would have questions and those questions did not

                                              7
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

constitute a substantial change in circumstances either. She asserted that Mr. McAdams’s

domestic violence was not remedied, and she was not prepared to see him in person or

make medical and education decisions with him.2

       The commissioner denied Mr. McAdams’s petition to modify the parenting plan,

finding there was not adequate cause to hold a hearing on the matter. It found that Mr.

McAdams’s petition had been brought in bad faith and ordered that he pay Ms. Hannah’s

reasonable attorney fees.

       Mr. McAdams moved to revise the commissioner’s ruling. In denying his motion

to revise, the trial court acknowledged that Mr. McAdams believed he had overcome his

history of domestic violence, but

       Ms. Hannah certainly doesn’t, and I think she has cited some very specific
       incidents where she feels like that power and control dynamic continues to
       exist even despite the fact that they are separated. Having the child sign a
       form so she could get access to her retirement account which is wholly
       inappropriate. Dragging his feet on getting his name removed from the
       bank account. Doing the quit claim deed. All of those things to her, as the
       victim of a history of domestic violence, continued to be power and control
       dynamics. And so while Mr. McAdams may have done treatment, his

       2
         Mr. McAdams filed a declaration the day the parties’ hearing was scheduled and
Ms. Hannah moved to strike the document. The commissioner declined to consider the
late declaration, yet also noted it would not consider material in Ms. Hannah’s reply
declaration that was not responsive to Mr. McAdams’s response declaration. Mr.
McAdams did not move to revise the commissioner’s decision on the motion to strike.
For this reason, we will not consider Mr. McAdams’s late declaration.

                                            8
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

       behavior post-treatment doesn’t necessarily convince the Court that, you
       know, the history is gone simply because he’s complied with treatment.

Rep. of Proc. (RP) at 22.

       The court noted that while RCW 26.09.191 did not have a sharp limitation on

parenting time, “decision[-]making does. . . . I don’t know how that limitation is

removed, but there’s certainly not in this case enough evidence to remove it . . . given Ms.

Hannah’s recitation of things that have happened since the dissolution.” RP at 23. The

court upheld the finding of bad faith because there was no legal or factual basis for Mr.

McAdams’s request.

       Mr. McAdams timely appealed.

                                       ANALYSIS

       MUTUAL DECISION-MAKING

       Mr. McAdams argues the trial court erred in finding there was not adequate cause

to modify the parenting plan to grant him mutual decision-making. We disagree.

       We review a trial court’s adequate cause determination for an abuse of discretion.

In re Parentage of Jannot, 149 Wn.2d 123, 126, 65 P.3d 664 (2003). “A trial court

abuses its discretion if its decision is manifestly unreasonable or based on untenable

                                             9
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

grounds or untenable reasons.”3 In re Marriage of Littlefield, 133 Wn.2d 39, 46-47,

940 P.2d 1362 (1997).

       Mr. McAdams petitioned to modify the parenting plan based on RCW

26.09.260(10), which gives the court discretion to “order adjustments to any of the

nonresidential aspects of a parenting plan upon a showing of a substantial change of

circumstances of either parent or of a child, and the adjustment is in the best interest of

the child.” Mr. McAdams argued below that the substantial change in circumstance was,

first, his completion of treatment and nonoccurrence of domestic violence and substance

abuse, and second, their daughter’s questions about gender identity. On appeal, he

abandons the second argument and argues only that his changed circumstances justified

modifying the parenting plan to provide for mutual decision-making.

       3
         Although he does not explicitly identify how the trial court abused its discretion,
Mr. McAdams appears to argue its decision was based on untenable reasons because it
applied the wrong legal standard for determining whether mutual decision-making was
allowed. See In re Marriage of Littlefield, 133 Wn.2d 39, 47, 940 P.2d 1362 (1997)
(“A court’s decision . . . is based on untenable reasons if it is based on an incorrect
standard.”).

                                             10
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

       Mr. McAdams concedes that sole decision-making is mandatory where

RCW 26.09.191 findings are entered.4 He argues the relevant question is “whether

joint-decision-making can be restored, and, if so, under what conditions.” Reply Br. of

Appellant at 2. His argument relies almost exclusively on a recent case from Division

One of this court, In re Marriage of DeVogel, 22 Wn. App. 2d 39, 509 P.3d 832 (2022).5

We begin by discussing that case.

       In DeVogel, the parties’ permanent parenting plan included findings that the father

had a history of domestic violence toward an adult son, and the mother had parental

problems including withholding the children and abusive use of conflict. Id. at 43. The

       4
          Mr. McAdams nonetheless suggests that while sole decision-making is
mandatory in an original parenting plan when there is a history of domestic
violence, it is unclear what is allowed in a subsequent modification. Mr. McAdams’s
distinction is illusory; Washington law does not contemplate “original” and “subsequent”
parenting plans. It contemplates “temporary” and “permanent” parenting plans.
See RCW 26.09.004(3), (4); RCW 26.09.181-.197. A modification results in a new,
permanent parenting plan. See RCW 26.09.004(3) (“‘Permanent parenting plan’ means a
plan for parenting the child . . . incorporated in any final decree or decree of modification
in an action for dissolution of marriage.”). In either a temporary or permanent parenting
plan, the court “shall not” order joint decision-making where there is a finding of a
history of domestic violence. RCW 26.09.191(1)(c).
        5
          Mr. McAdams also points to In re Marriage of Bodge, No. 79559-7-I, (Wash. Ct.
App. June 15, 2020) (unpublished), https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/795597.pdf,
a factually distinguishable and unhelpful case. There, the parties’ parenting plan
expressly provided that restrictions based on the finding of the father’s history of
domestic violence could be lifted on his completion of domestic violence treatment.
Id., slip op. at 3. Here, the parties’ parenting plan contains no such provision.

                                             11
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

court gave the mother sole decision-making and the majority of the residential time. Id.

The plan required the father to complete domestic violence treatment before his

residential time increased. Id. Two years later, both parents separately petitioned to

modify the parenting plan. Id. at 44. After trial, the court entered a new permanent

parenting plan that gave the father sole decision-making and placed the children with him

for the majority of the residential time. Id. The mother appealed, arguing in part the

court erred by awarding sole decision-making and majority residential time to the father

despite his history of domestic violence. Id. at 45.

       We affirmed on both issues. Id. As to decision-making, we rejected the mother’s

contention that RCW 26.09.191(1) forbids the court from giving a parent with a history of

domestic violence any decision-making authority. Id. at 46. The plain language of the

statute only restricts mutual decision-making, which was not ordered. Id. As to the

residential time, we noted that under RCW 26.09.191(2), a court can choose to impose

limitations on residential time that include completion of treatment. Id. The parties’

original parenting plan did just that, and the father had completed the recommended

treatment. Id. at 46-47. At the time the court entered the new parenting plan, it found

there had been no instances of domestic violence since the parties separated five years

earlier. Id. at 47. The original limitations had been completed, and the court was not

                                             12
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

required to impose new limitations when there were no new domestic violence concerns.

Id.

       Mr. McAdams argues that DeVogel shows that it is possible to cure a domestic

violence limitation such that mutual decision-making can be restored. The case does no

such thing.

       First, DeVogel is silent about when a parent can cure a limitation such that mutual

decision-making can be restored. The extent of the court’s discussion of decision-making

was to note that because the father had sole decision-making, the provision did not violate

RCW 26.09.191(1), which prohibits only mutual decision-making. The propriety of

mutual decision-making was not an issue in front of the court. And contrary to Mr.

McAdams’s repeated assertions, the DeVogel court did not consider the father’s treatment

and nonoccurrence of domestic violence in considering whether it was appropriate to give

him sole decision-making. The court only discussed that information in regard to the

father’s residential time, an area in which the trial court has considerable discretion

crafting limitations. See RCW 26.09.191(2). By contrast, RCW 26.09.191(1) makes

                                             13
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

limitations on mutual decision-making mandatory in the enumerated circumstances.6

       Second, the court’s discussion of the father’s treatment is in no way analogous to

Mr. McAdams’s situation. There, treatment was the limitation on residential time in the

parenting plan. See RCW 26.09.191(2)(m)(i) (A limitation on residential time may

include “completion of relevant counseling or treatment.”). Because the father

successfully completed treatment, such a limitation was essentially moot in the new

parenting plan. Because the father had not engaged in domestic violence in the five years

since the parties’ separation, no new limitations were necessary.

       6
           The legislature recognized that true mutual decision-making is not possible in
situations where the relationship was marred by domestic violence. This is because the
abusive parent will likely continue to use intimidation to control the abused parent:
        The rarity of equality in decision-making between an abuser and his victim
        renders joint decision-making unworkable. The occurrence of domestic
        violence within a relationship, regardless of how it is categorized, suggests
        that the batterer is in a superior position of power. The propensity to abuse
        also provides important information about the character of the batterer. If
        he is an abuser, he is more likely to use power to dominate and intimidate
        the other parent. By ordering joint legal custody, thus requiring joint
        decision-making, the court places the victim in an impossible position—she
        is forced to negotiate with her batterer despite her lack of power within that
        relationship.
Dana Harrington Conner, Back to the Drawing Board: Barriers to Joint Decision-Making
in Custody Cases Involving Intimate Partner Violence, 18 Duke J. Gender L. & Pol’y
223, 227 (2011) (footnote omitted).

                                            14
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

       Here, by contrast, Mr. McAdams completed all treatment before the permanent

parenting plan was entered in 2020, yet the trial court still found it necessary to enter a

finding of domestic violence and give Ms. Hannah sole decision-making, as well as order

the various other limitations in section 14 of the parenting plan. Additionally, the court

found that in the approximately two years since the parties’ divorce, Mr. McAdams had

continued to engage in conduct seemingly designed to continue to exert power and

control over Ms. Hannah.

       Mr. McAdams also objects to the trial court’s failure to consider the child’s best

interests. RCW 26.09.260(10) directs that an adjustment to a nonresidential aspect of the

parenting plan requires both a substantial change in circumstances and an adjustment that

is in the child’s best interest. If either element is not met, the modification should not be

granted. Here, the trial court found there was no substantial change in circumstances;

thus, it could not adjust the parenting plan even if the adjustment was in the child’s best

interest. It did not err in stopping its analysis after it found no substantial change in

circumstances.

       We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it found a lack of

adequate cause to set Mr. McAdams’s petition for a trial.

                                              15
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

       ATTORNEY FEES AT TRIAL

       Mr. McAdams contends the trial court erred in assessing attorney fee sanctions

against him. Limiting his arguments to those properly raised, we disagree.

       Mr. McAdams argues he should not have been sanctioned for his petition

for modification, discussing at length CR 11 and frivolous lawsuits. But Mr.

McAdams was not sanctioned under CR 11. The award of attorney fees was based

on RCW 26.09.260(13). “To be successful in requesting attorney’s fees under

[RCW 26.09.260], a party need only show that the motion to modify was brought in bad

faith.” In re Marriage of Low, 44 Wn. App. 6, 9, 720 P.2d 850 (1986).

       Bad faith is a factual finding that we review for substantial evidence. In re

Marriage of Rideout, 150 Wn.2d 337, 351, 77 P.3d 1174 (2003). Mr. McAdams does not

discuss RCW 26.09.260(13) or adequately challenge the trial court’s factual finding that

his petition was brought in bad faith.

       In a section titled “Issues on Appeal,” which we will construe as his assignments

of error, see RAP 10.3(a)(4), Mr. McAdams does contend there was not substantial

evidence he filed his petition in bad faith. Opening Br. of Appellant at 6 (some

capitalization omitted). He devotes no argument to this contention in his opening brief,

however, only discussing the issue in his reply. This is insufficient for our review.

                                             16
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

See RAP 10.3(a)(6); In re Marriage of Angelo, 142 Wn. App. 622, 628 n.3, 175 P.3d

1096 (2008) (“We do not consider assignments of error unsupported by argument or

authority.”); Cowiche Canyon Conservancy v. Bosley, 118 Wn.2d 801, 809, 828 P.2d 549

(1992) (“An issue raised and argued for the first time in a reply brief is too late to warrant

consideration.”). We constrain our discussion to the issues argued in Mr. McAdams’s

opening brief, to which Ms. Hannah had an opportunity to respond.

       Mr. McAdams’s argument against awarding attorney fees is that the “case law is

sufficiently opaque” that his petition for modification was not frivolous. Opening Br. of

Appellant at 13. As discussed above, his argument that mutual decision-making is

allowed is based on a complete misreading of the case law and a misrepresentation of Mr.

McAdams’s circumstances, and it further plainly runs counter to unambiguous statutory

authority. The trial court correctly observed there was no “legal or factual basis” to order

joint decision-making as a modification under RCW 26.09.260(10). RP at 23.

       Mr. McAdams argues there was no legal basis for awarding attorney fees on

revision because he has a right to revise a commissioner’s ruling. But Mr. McAdams’s

motion to revise the commissioner’s ruling was clearly a continuation of his petition to

modify the parenting plan—if his motion had been successful, the court would have

found adequate cause to hold a hearing on the modification. As a continuation of the

                                             17
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. of Hannah & McAdams

modification action, it was subject to the provisions of RCW 26.09.260(13). See In re

Marriage of Moody, 137 Wn.2d 979, 994, 976 P.2d 1240 (1999). The existence of an

absolute right to revision does not insulate Mr. McAdams from the provisions of

RCW 26.09.260(13). See Low, 44 Wn. App. at 9 (discussing the analogous provision in

former RCW 26.09.260(2) (1973)). A further award of attorney fees was legally

permissible.

       ATTORNEY FEES ON APPEAL

       Ms. Hannah requests attorney fees on appeal under RCW 26.09.140 and

RAP 18.9. For the reasons explained below, we grant her RAP 18.9 request.

       RCW 26.09.140 permits a court to award fees for “maintaining or defending any

proceeding under this chapter” based on the financial resources of the parties. Ms.

Hannah has not filed an affidavit of financial need with the court in accordance with

RAP 18.1(c), so we cannot grant fees under RCW 26.09.140.

       RAP 18.9(a) permits an award attorney fees as a sanction for filing a frivolous

appeal. An appeal is frivolous “‘if there are no debatable issues upon which reasonable

minds might differ and it is so totally devoid of merit that there [is] no reasonable

possibility of reversal.’” State v. Chapman, 140 Wn.2d 436, 454, 998 P.2d 282 (2000)

(alteration in original) (quoting State ex rel. Quick-Ruben v. Verharen, 136 Wn.2d 888,

                                             18
No. 39423-9-III
Marr. ofHannah & McAdams

905, 969 P.2d 64 (1998)). As discussed above, there is no legal or factual support for Mr.

McAdams' s petition to modify the parenting plan. In addition, his challenge to attorney

fees was directed at nonexistent CR 11 sanctions. He failed to raise any debatable issue

that might result in a reasonable possibility of reversal. Subject to her compliance with

RAP 18.l(d), we award Ms. Hannah her reasonable attorney fees on appeal.

       Affirmed.

       A majority of the panel has determined this opinion will not be printed in the

Washington Appellate Reports, but it will be filed for public record pursuant to

RCW 2.06.040.

WE CONCUR:

Pennell, J.                               Staab, J.

                                            19