News Author: Christina Smith
Should You Arbitrate Your Family Law Dispute?
Is arbitration the right forum for your divorce or family law dispute? Arbitration can be an alternative to using a court to resolve your family law matter. It is a private proceeding that will likely take place in an office or online and tends to be less formal than court proceedings. The arbitrator is often
Getting a Divorce? Don’t Make These Common Mistakes!
Going through a divorce can be incredibly stressful. Save yourself additional upset by doing your best to avoid: Listening to the Wrong People. Make sure to do your research and choose the right attorney; then be sure to listen to and follow what that attorney says. It can be hard to ignore the personal divorce
STRATEGIES TO WIN YOUR DIVORCE MEDIATION
In Washington State, couples going through divorce are required to attend a mediation in an attempt to settle the case before trial, unless excused for reasons such as domestic violence. As a divorce attorney, I have prepared hundreds of clients for mediation. I have also served as a mediator in many family law cases. Below
A Primer on Community vs. Separate Property in Washington State
As a divorce lawyer in Washington State, it is common for new clients to come in to our first meeting with the understanding that Washington is a community property state and believing that this means all property and debts are split right down the middle, 50/50. While this is often a good place to start
DIVORCE: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY
A divorce can be a very public affair. In Washington State, divorce filings are generally publicly available documents. For many divorcing spouses with a high net worth, maintaining financial privacy is a primary concern. For other divorcing spouses, it may be the “dirty laundry” that they want to keep private. This is especially true if
Let’s Talk About Divorce: Six Places Your Spouse Might be Hiding Assets
Occasionally, a spouse preparing to go through divorce may attempt to hide assets in order to avoid disclosing and sharing those assets with their soon-to-be ex. If you’re worried your spouse may be hiding assets, here are six places you should be sure to check: Bogus Debt Payoffs Did your mother-in-law gift you the down
Divorce in Washington: Do’s and Don’ts of How to Prepare for your Parenting Evaluation
You may either agree, or be court-ordered, to undergo a Parenting Evaluation if child custody is disputed in your family law case. A Parenting Evaluation involves a neutral evaluator who will conduct an investigation and make recommendations to the court as to what is in the children’s best interests. The evaluator will meet with the
Alimony/Spousal Maintenance in Washington State
Other states have alimony, but in Washington State, we call spousal support or alimony “spousal maintenance.” Here is a quick overview of spousal maintenance in Washington State so that you can be prepared for that first meeting with your divorce attorney. What is it? Spousal maintenance is a monthly payment by one spouse to another
DIVORCE DURING COVID – TOP 5 ISSUES TO WATCH
We have all read the headlines that divorce rates are increasing worldwide and those rates are not expected to be dropping soon. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many of us to our limits. People are stressed out and locked down, which has put pressure on relationships that may have already been holding on by a