Andrew Walter Bruns, V. Andrea Dawn Bruns

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 22, 2025
Docket86127-1
StatusUnpublished

This text of Andrew Walter Bruns, V. Andrea Dawn Bruns (Andrew Walter Bruns, V. Andrea Dawn Bruns) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Andrew Walter Bruns, V. Andrea Dawn Bruns, (Wash. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

ANDREW WALTER BRUNS, No.86127-1-I Appellant, DIVISION ONE v. UNPUBLISHED OPINION ANDREA DAWN BRUNS,

Respondent.

COBURN, J. — Following a dissolution trial, the court entered orders granting

Andrea Bruns significantly more residential time than Andrew Bruns without considering

mandatory factors under RCW 26.09.187(3), denied Andrew’s 1 request—based on

existing other child support payments—for a downward deviation in child support

without providing specific reasons for the denial; and awarded Andrea spousal support

without fully considering RCW 26.09.090 factors. Because the record does not establish

that the trial court applied the correct legal standards, we reverse the orders as to

residential time, child support, and spousal support. Because Andrew does not

otherwise establish that relief is warranted as to his other claims, we affirm in part,

reverse in part and remand.

1 Because the parties share the same last name, we refer to them by their first names for clarity. 86127-1-I/2

FACTS

Andrew and Andrea Bruns married in June 2015 and separated in April 2022, the

same time Andrew petitioned for dissolution. The parties have one child together, E.B.,

who was seven at the time of trial. Andrew also has two children from a previous

relationship and Andrea has one child from a previous relationship. When Andrew and

Andrea married, Andrea became a stay-at-home parent to both the parties’ common

child and their respective children from previous relationships. During the marriage,

Andrew and Andrea purchased a house together in Bothell 2 and a 2019 Subaru Ascent.

Prior to trial, Andrea sought temporary family law orders only as to E.B., including

a temporary parenting plan and child support. She claimed Andrew’s neglect of their

child E.B. was a basis to request RCW 26.09.191 limitations. She requested sole major-

decision making authority in all areas except healthcare. She also asked to be E.B.’s

custodian and for him to reside with her the majority of the time. Under her proposed

residential schedule, Andrew would see E.B. on the weekends every other week and for

three hours alternate Thursdays. Andrew filed a response disputing Andrea’s

allegations and objecting to the entry of temporary orders on the eve of trial. Andrew

requested to split the residential schedule, alternating weeks. He agreed to have

Andrea designated as the custodial parent solely for the purpose of all state and federal

statutes which require a designation or determination of custody. He sought joint

decision-making as to all major decisions. Andrew also requested a child support

calculation below the standard because he pays child support for his two other children

and sought an equal residential schedule.

2 Prior to the marriage, Andrew bought a different house in Bothell that was awarded to him that is not subject of this appeal. 2 86127-1-I/3

After a hearing where both parties appeared with counsel, a King County

Superior Court commissioner, in issuing temporary orders, rejected Andrea’s claim that

Andrew neglected his parental duties and required the parents to have joint decision-

making for all major decisions. The commissioner adopted Andrea’s proposed

temporary parenting plan and ordered Andrew to pay $4,500 a month in undifferentiated

support. In its written order, the court adopted its oral findings stated on the record. 3 In a

separate order, the commissioner explained that “the court’s oral ruling was to maintain

the status quo with respect to the current stipulations between the parties.”

Trial began on October 31, 2023, and lasted three days. Andrea proposed

generally the same residential schedule that had been adopted in the temporary

parenting plan. Andrew proposed equal residential time. During trial, Andrew testified

that he earns a salary of $185,000 a year and is eligible for a bonus of up to 20 percent

of his annual salary if the company Andrew works for hits their annual goals and pays

out a bonus. In the previous two calendar years before trial, Andrew testified that he

received a small bonus the first year because he had recently started with that

company, then received a “full bonus” the following year. At the time of trial, Andrea was

salaried at $50,000 a year as a pre-school director. During trial, Andrew testified that he

was requesting a child support obligation lower than the standard calculation if E.B.

resides with Andrew for half the time and because Andrew pays child support for two

other children.

On November 30 the trial court issued its rulings. In regard to the parenting plan,

the court stated:

3 The verbatim report of proceedings from this hearing was not designated in this appeal. 3 86127-1-I/4

… I thought about this a great deal. I reviewed my notes considerably in reaching a decision in this case, which is in the best interest of the child. And ultimately, my decision with regard to the Parenting Plan is to maintain the current Parenting Plan that has been in effect since the separation. I am not making any finding that there was neglect or abandonment on the part of the petitioner as was requested. I am, however, persuaded by the testimony and the context of events to believe that the child will flourish with the mother more. I do believe the petitioner may be in a place in his life where he is looking perhaps to expand his interests beyond the home. The totality of the evidence before me would suggest that the fact that this was the plan that was implemented, accepted, and carried through since the separation, the fact that there’s unrebutted testimony that the petitioner rejected proposals to increase that Parenting Plan during this time, and the fact that there just was never any effort to change that until even the last minute in looking through the docket as the parties have asked me to look at. There was no serious effort at changing that. Given all of those things, I am keeping the plan as currently set. I think that that provides for the stability of the child, and I think it’s what the parties have come to expect works for them for a variety of different reasons.

The residential schedule adopted by the court in the final parenting plan provided the

mother 83.3 percent and the father 16.7 percent of the residential time. 4

As for child support, the court ordered Andrew to pay $1,189.19 per month,

without imposing any deviations, because of Andrew’s ability to pay and the needs of

Andrea and E.B. The court also ordered Andrew to pay $2,000 a month in spousal

maintenance to Andrea for 14 months beginning December 1, 2023 and ending with the

last payment on January 1, 2025. The court ordered spousal maintenance after

considering the “financial abilities of the parties”, and that “this was a seven-year

marriage in which [Andrea] was the mother who stayed at home, took care of their child,

and the other children that are associated with the relationship, and during that time,

4 Calculating the total hours in a four-week span under the adopted residential schedule, E.B. would generally spend 560 hours a month with his mother and 112 hours a month with his father.

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Andrew Walter Bruns, V. Andrea Dawn Bruns, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/andrew-walter-bruns-v-andrea-dawn-bruns-washctapp-2025.