Recent News

Partition is a legal cause of action stemming from common law, but now a statutory right for property owners (RCW 7.52). If you own a property with another person, you are likely tenants-in-common. Partition allows one owner to force a sale of the property – either at auction or on the market – if your… Read More

You’ve probably heard the term “alimony,” but Washington Courts refer to payments between divorcing or divorced spouses as “Spousal Support.” So, how do you know if you qualify for receiving spousal support? What about when you may be liable for paying it? Here’s the 411. In Washington, spousal support is decided by the Court and… Read More

Attorney Kelsey Affronte is proudly featured in the Primerus Paradigm Fall 2025 Issue. The feature shares details of how Kelsey smoothly transitioned from her previous role as a deputy prosecutor for Snohomish County to her current role as a key member of the family law and litigation teams at Beresford Booth. To read more about Kelsey’s… Read More

Divorce ranks among the top five most stressful life events, alongside the death of a loved one, job loss, and major illness. And when your ex is particularly difficult or high conflict, navigating this time can feel nearly impossible. Enter the BIFF Method: a powerful communication strategy designed to help you deal with high-conflict personalities… Read More

I often tell my clients to retain court pleadings for their records, but, in protection order matters, I urge my clients to keep multiple hard copies of the order. In the event the restrained party violates a protection order, you will need information about your protection order to report the violation to law enforcement. For… Read More

Often, a criminal offense is a catalyst for a domestic violence victim to seek protection from their abuser. An abuser assaults a victim, the victim reports the assault and abuser to the police, the police investigate, and the prosecutor is considering or has filed charges against the abuser. Separate from the criminal proceedings, the victim… Read More

April 20th, 2023 Beresford Booth Attorney Kelsey Affronte presents Community Spotlight on Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center. Read More

As a former prosecutor, I wanted to take the opportunity to provide context about what to expect at an arraignment hearing. This is the first hearing after a defendant has been charged with a crime. Arraignments are extremely formulaic - the defendant is informed of the charges against them, receives a trial date, and the… Read More

The purpose of our state's domestic violence laws is to provide enhanced protection to victims of this type of offense while sending a strong message to abusers that this behavior is not tolerated. Domestic violence relationships are between "intimate partners" (i.e. boyfriend/girlfriend, partners with children in common, etc.) or even "family or household members" (i.e.… Read More