Blog

Most people facing a divorce (called dissolution of marriage in Washington) have heard the horror stories about the cost ...

Dividing a business in a Washington divorce is one of the most contentious issues a couple can face—especially when the ...

When a divorce is finalized in Washington, the dissolution decree assigns specific debts and obligations to each spouse. ...

When someone faces domestic violence charges in Washington, every element of every count matters. In State v. Kane, No. ...

Domestic violence protection orders can reshape every aspect of a family’s life—restricting contact with a spouse, ...

In a petition for a Washington domestic violence protection order (“DVPO”), the court shall issue the protection order ...

A person who has experienced domestic violence may seek a protection order with the assistance of a Seattle civil ...

When a person faces multiple sex crime charges involving different complainants, one of the most important defense ...

When police tell you that you’re “not under arrest” before questioning you, that statement does not automatically mean ...

Changing a parenting plan in Washington is never easy. The law deliberately makes modifications difficult to protect ...

Washington family law recognizes Committed Intimate Relationships (“CIRs”), which are stable relationships, similar to a ...

Washington law recognizes “committed intimate relationships,” (“CIRs”) and allows courts to equitably distribute ...

When does a neighbor dispute cross the line into unlawful harassment—and what can a court do about it? In Perkins v. ...

Both the Washington State Constitution and the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protect individuals from being ...

The Sixth Circuit recently determined a school can be liable in a Title IX case for not responding to social media ...

The right to cross-examine the complainant in Title IX disciplinary proceedings has been a controversial issue for ...

A trial court must grant an annulment to parties married outside Washington if the court finds the marriage was void or ...

Washington public policy favors a presumption that a marriage is valid. Case law has held that a party seeking a ...

A Washington appeals court has confirmed that trial courts cannot order joint decision-making in a parenting plan when ...

A parent seeking modification of a Washington parenting plan must meet the statutory criteria for modification. A father ...

Property divisions and child custody in a Washington divorce can be contentious. In a recent case, the former husband ...

In some cases, circumstances change after a court orders child support. A Washington child support order may be modified ...

When a court orders Washington child support, it must follow the statutes and make the required findings. In a recent ...

Washington postsecondary educational support may be ordered when a child is dependent and relies upon the parents for ...

When a couple reaches an agreement regarding their divorce, it is not uncommon to agree that any disputes regarding the ...

The court must distribute the assets in a divorce if the couple does not reach an agreement as to distribution. Certain ...

Washington courts are to consider several factors when determining property distribution in a divorce. Those factors ...

Many family law clients seeking divorce have spouses that have already agreed that the marriage is over. However, in ...

Income acquired while people are in a Washington Committed Intimate Relationship (“CIR”) is treated as community ...

Washington family law recognizes committed intimate relationships, which are stable relationships where the parties ...

In a Washington divorce, a party who claims an asset is separate property must show it qualifies as separate property by ...

Following a Washington final divorce decree, a maintenance award, also known as spousal support, may only be modified if ...

Washington law provides several types of civil protection orders designed to protect people from violence, harassment, ...

In most cases, a person protected by a Washington civil protect order wants the order and limitations it provides. A ...

A Washington protection order generally must state the date when it expires. If the order is to be permanent, the court ...

Sometimes when a student has suffered severe disciplinary action following an unfair Title IX investigation and ...

Students who experience disciplinary action resulting from Title IX allegations sometimes file their own Title IX ...

The Department of Education recently issued a press release stating that it found a Virginia public school district had ...

When a person is seriously injured in a Washington car accident, it is important to identify all potential avenues of ...

Unfortunately, in some cases, a Washington car accident victim’s biggest adversary may be his or her own insurance ...

School authorities may search students and their property in circumstances that the police could not. In a recent case, ...

In certain non-violent, drug-related cases, offenders may be eligible for a “drug offender sentencing alternative,” ...

In State v. Blake in 2021, the Washington Supreme Court determined that Washington’s strict liability drug statute ...

The Washington Supreme Court has held that courts may consider race and ethnicity as relevant, objective factors when ...

A DUI in Washington is generally a gross misdemeanor, but it can be elevated to a felony if the defendant has three ...

The Washington State Constitution recognizes a privacy right and prohibits disturbance of that privacy without authority ...

When someone is charged with felony harassment in Washington, the prosecution must prove that the accused knowingly made ...

A Washington appeals court recently addressed the difference between rendering criminal assistance and accomplice ...

Under Washington criminal law, a defendant commits residential burglary if they enter or unlawfully remain in a ...

Generally, hearsay is not admissible in a Washington criminal case, unless it meets an exception. Hearsay is an ...

Washington second degree criminal trespass is a misdemeanor. To convict a person of second degree criminal trespass, the ...

Washington law affords juvenile suspects additional protections. RCW 13.40.740 which became effective on January 1, ...

In a recent case, the Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment in favor of a school district in a Title IX case against ...

Pursuant to CrR 8.3(a), a Washington trial court may dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint upon motion of the ...

In a recent case, the Washington Supreme Court considered whether the court rule and statute related to juvenile bench ...

Incidents that lead to Washington assault charges can often be hectic events with multiple people involved, especially ...

Generally, the state can bring multiple charges arising from the same conduct in one proceeding, but double jeopardy ...

The rules of evidence can be important in any court case, even in a Washington custody case. A mother recently ...

A federal court in South Carolina recently granted a university’s motion to compel arbitration of a case involving a ...

Both the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and article I, section 7 of the Washington State Constitution require ...

Following a Washington automobile accident, insurance companies often rush to settle with any injured victims. When ...

When a person slips and falls in an office building, it is important to ascertain who may be liable. Multiple tenants, a ...

A dog owner is generally strictly liable for injuries resulting from a Washington dog bite if the person who was bitten ...

When a person is injured by someone else’s negligence in a Washington automobile accident, he or she may want to seek ...

In a Washington automobile accident, an injured person may have some coverage through his or her own insurance policy. ...

To convict a defendant of vehicular homicide in a Washington criminal case, the state must prove that the defendant’s ...

An employer may be held vicariously liable for the negligence of its employees in a Washington automobile accident case ...