New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation adopting a 12-week paid family leave policy for New York employees on April 4. This family leave law will provide employees with up to 12 weeks of paid leave to allow them to care for a new child. They can also use this time to care for a […]
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RSS feed for this sectionWashington State’s Relocation Statute
Categories: Uncategorized
Washington’s relocation statute is very specific with regards to notice requirements and timing. Failure to give required notice may be grounds for sanctions, including contempt of court. If the move is within the same school district, the relocating person must provide notice by reasonable means. A person entitled to time with the child may not object to what […]
Relocation: Follow the Rules or Pay the Penalty
Categories: Uncategorized
The UCCJA is a law that controls which court has jurisdiction to make custody and visitation decisions about your child when you are getting or have gotten a divorce or separation. It is important to now about this law if you are considering relocation. It says that, in most cases, if a child moves out […]
Have Kids? Have a Will and Trust?
Categories: estate planning, trust, Uncategorized, will
A will directs who gets your property when you die. It also appoints a legal representative to carry out your wishes. Die without one, and the State decides who gets what irrespective of what you may have wanted. Intestacy laws vary considerably from state to state. In general, if you die and your spouse and […]
Spousal Maintenance: Who Gets How Much Alimony?
Categories: alimony, divorce, king county, seattle, spousal maintenance, Uncategorized
We’ve heard stories of the woman who gets $6,000 a month from her ex-husband and questioned if that was really something a court would do. Do “average people” get spousal maintenance? Some do. Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony, is awarded in cases where a divorce makes it difficult for one person to keep the […]
Threatening Behavior in Divorce – Domestic Violence?
Categories: divorce, domestic violence, Uncategorized
In the United States, 20 people are abused by a partner every minute. That’s one case of abuse every three seconds. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men experience violence by their partners in their lifetimes. Domestic violence and its effects cost the U.S. more than $8.3 billion per year. Oftentimes domestic violence […]

Know Your Rights — and Stay Calm if Pulled Over by Police
Categories: arrest, police, pulled over, rights, seattle, Uncategorized
It’s important it is to know your legal rights, and what is and is not permissible to do when you are pulled over by a police officer. There’s the law—what is legally permissible for the officer and the motorist to do. And then there’s the reality of how such encounters with police can play out. Given […]
Aniston and Theroux Wed Post Prenuptial Agreement
Categories: prenuptial agreement, Uncategorized
Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux finally said “I do” on August 5, in a highly private ceremony at their home. What took the couple so long to get to the alter? After all, they met several years ago and got engaged in 2012. As it turns out… a pre nup and Aniston’s desire for […]
Cost for Family Law Filing Increases
Categories: divorce, filing, Uncategorized, washington state
In Washington State, a Superior Court Fee Schedule Revision went into effect on July 24, 2015. This cost increases what was already a high cost of filing certain actions including divorce and separation. Substitute Senate Bill 5631, in part, increases the current surcharge on domestic cases (dissolution, legal separation, and declaration concerning the validity of […]
Ten Signs it Might Be Time to Divorce
Categories: divorce, family law, king county, seattle, Uncategorized
Knowing when to divorce can be difficult, and it’s a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. So how do you know if you should proceed? How can you be sure that this time is really it? While there’s no magic answer for when to get a divorce, here are 10 signs it might be time to […]