News Category: Litigation
The Accidental Partnership: What to Know if You Have Unwittingly Formed a Business
One day you are sitting with your friend brainstorming different ideas for your new startup business and before you know it you have a name, marketing and social media accounts, and a lease for your store front. In the excitement of putting together a business, you never formalize (in writing) the structure of the business,
Husband, Wife, Partner, Significant Other: Risks of Home Buying as an Unmarried Couple
The real estate market in Seattle is notoriously expensive and competitive and everyone seems to be looking for more space as we enter the second year of a pandemic. There is also a rise in nontraditional partners buying houses together. If you are considering buying a house with a partner to whom you are not
The Check is(n’t) in the Mail: The Cause of Action of ‘Account Stated’
“You just remember what ol’ Jack Burton always says at a time like that: ‘Have you paid your dues, Jack? Yes sir, the check is in the mail.’” -Big Trouble in Little China, 1986. You are a homeowner who hires a contractor to come regularly to your property for routine maintenance. At first, everything seems
When Good Fences Are Not Good Neighbors: Navigating Common Fence and Neighbor Disputes in Washington
With everyone spending much more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic you might be reevaluating your relationship with your neighbors. What once seemed like a mere annoyance could now be interfering with your enjoyment and use of your property. What are your rights in some of the more common neighbor disputes and what
Privacy in the Workplace: Employee Surveillance
(This blog is the first installment in a multi-part series regarding privacy in the workplace.) Employers often seek to monitor or surveil their employees in the workplace. Though workplace monitoring, searches, and surveillance can be a valuable tool for any employer, doing so is not without risk. Employers should make sure their workplace search, monitoring,
Got a Civil Complaint? Just Don’t Get SLAPPed
Your next-door neighbor has a bone to pick with you. Maybe he thinks you have encroached onto his property. Maybe he is mad about a fence you put up on the property line. Maybe he just isn’t in a good mood. Whatever the reason, he has decided that instead of dealing with his problems in
Commercial Litigation in the Time of COVID-19
It is undeniable that COVID-19 has affected all of our lives in more ways than we might ever have imagined. It is unsurprising that COVID-19 is affecting the way the Courts operate. In Washington State the Courts are adapting and setting up new guideline that allows pending litigation to continue and new matters to be
Home Sweet Homestead
UPDATE: On May 12, 2021, Washington enacted significant revisions to the Homestead statutes. These revisions may potentially and significantly increase the dollar amount of your homestead exemption. As of May 12, 2021, the homestead exemption has changed to be the greater of 1) $125,000.00, or 2) the “county median sale price of a single-family home
The Appealing Truths to a Second Bite at the Apple: Why a Civil Appeal Might be Right for You
Our civil rules encourage settlement. Settlement prevents the “winner take all” scenario and encourages the efficient use of court resources–trials are time-consuming and expensive. Although avoiding the courtroom altogether may sound appealing (pardon the pun), remember that you do not need a jury verdict to appeal your case. Here are some things to consider in