Recent News

– what happens when your long-term partner dies, but you were never officially married. You built a life together. Lived in and improved the same home, shared your money, worked together to pay bills and invest, and maybe raised some kids. Then, tragically, your partner dies… without a will (called dying “intestate”). In Washington, only… Read More

Question: I’m in the military married to (or have recently adopted) a person who is not a U.S. citizen. What do I do if I’m being sent overseas and my spouse/child has not yet met the residency requirement to be naturalized? You have recently created (or add to) your U.S. military family. From the multiple veterans,… Read More

On April 24, Governor Inslee released his Phase 1 Construction Restart plan signaling the beginning of a possible easing of Covid-19 related restrictions put in place under Gubernatorial Proclamation 20-25. As contractors return to work, it is the perfect time to reassess compliance with the Contractor Registration Act. A major component of the Act, is… Read More

On April 6, 2020, I posted a blog discussing Emergency EIDL Grants to small businesses, which can be found here.  This more recent post serves to provide an update. On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into the law the CARES Act. The Act authorizes the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide Emergency EIDL Grants… Read More

Recognizing the government response to the coronavirus should not cause more injury and damage than the coronavirus itself, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering loans and grants to small business employers to help them retain their employees.  The loans are authorized under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability Act (CARES Act),… Read More

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into the law the CARES Act. The CARES Act was passed to address the economic impacts of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. The Act authorizes the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide Emergency EIDL Grants. An eligible entity will receive a grant of up to $10,000 by simply applying… Read More

What is a Committed Intimate Relationship? In Washington State, common-law marriage—legal recognition of marriage without having formally registered their relationship—is not lawful.  However, Washington courts have adopted a definition for a long-term, unmarried relationship known as a committed intimidate relationship (“CIR”). The existence of a CIR creates a presumption that all property acquired during the… Read More