Recent News

Maybe you’re preparing for your college student son or daughter to return from a semester of college for Thanksgiving or winter break. Or maybe you’re planning ahead to send your newly accepted student to his or her freshman year of college next year. Whether your child is attending college in Washington State or out of… Read More

Despite politicians’ inability to resolve the budget impasse in Washington D.C., the Executive Office of the United States Courts recently announced Federal Courts will remain open through at least October 17—possibly through Friday, October 18th.  The Federal Courts have been operating on fee income and no-year appropriated funds to keep operations functioning since the shutdown… Read More

Here is one solution to close an estate in Washington State when you cannot locate an heir or beneficiary. A Personal Representative or the Administrator (sometimes called the Executor) of an Estate is charged with locating the beneficiaries of a Will or the heirs of someone who has died. Sometimes this is an easy job,… Read More

While opening probate may be beneficial or required in some instances, not every death may trigger the need to open a probate case to administer an estate. For smaller estates, a “Small Estate Affidavit” may be sufficient. If the value of the decedent’s estate is not more than $100,000, then personal property (like vehicles, furniture,… Read More

Unfortunately the story of Katie Barnett, a Vinton County, Ohio woman is not a new one in this post-recession housing market, but is still one a homeowner’s nightmares are made of.  While Ms. Barnett was on vacation, a bank accidentally repossessed her home, rather than the correct home across the street.  When Ms. Barnett returned… Read More

Washington State is set to revamp its family law forms. The new forms are intended to simplify the family law process by utilizing “plain language.” BERESFORD BOOTH has made this content available to the general public for informational purposes only. The information on this site is not intended to convey legal opinions or legal advice. Read More

The recent outing of J.K. Rowling as the author of the mystery novel, “The Cuckoo’s Calling,” under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, highlights the heightened necessity of a lawyer maintaining client secrets in the age of social media.  Apparently a London lawyer told his wife’s best friend about Rowling’s pseudonym, who then posted the information on… Read More

Recently, a Manhattan federal judge upheld a $5 Million arbitration award against Miss Pennsylvania for remarks she made claiming the Miss USA beauty pageant, which is owned by Donald Trump, was rigged. Several lessons can be learned from the ruling upholding Mr. Trump’s arbitration award. First, and most importantly, never ignore an arbitration notice or… Read More

Divorce (also known as dissolution) actions are unique to the parties involved and the issues that arise when ending the marriage between the spouses. The divorce process in Washington can take as little as 91 days when the parties agree on all the terms of the dissolution. However, the process can extend much longer if… Read More