Recent News

This is a question family law practitioners receive quite often, and the answer will assuredly be: ‘it depends.’  The basis for the Court to require a spouse to pay the other party’s  attorney fees are either ‘need and ability’ or ‘intransigence.’ Washington is a ‘no fault’ state.  This means that if a person files for… Read More

For many of us, our pets are our babies. Whatever turmoil happens in our life, being separated from our animals is not an option. However, enforcing animal visitation in the years after a divorce is nearly impossible and can be very costly. The case of Sherman v. Kissinger affirmatively stated that Washington common law does… Read More

Protection Order There are a few different types of protection order which can be entered for different reasons. Domestic Violence Protection Order Stalking Protection Order Anti-Harassment Protection Order Sexual Assault Protection Order Vulnerable Adult Protection Order What is ADR? ADR stands for Alternative Dispute Resolution, this can include mediation, arbitration, or a volunteer settlement conference.… Read More

Attorneys with Beresford Booth recently completed comprehensive training on Collaborative Divorce and will be offering this option to their clients beginning in 2023. What is Collaborative Divorce? – The Facts Collaborative Divorce is NOT what you think it is. It is not divorcing people trying to work together, although that is part of it. It… Read More

On December 8, 2022, the House passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which protects same-sex and interracial marriages at the federal level.  Following the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year to overturn Roe v. Wade, many interracial couples were concerned that Loving v. Virginia could similarly be overturned.   Same-sex couples were concerned that the rights… Read More

It may seem obvious, but many people do not realize that parenting is a fundamental right under the United States and Washington State Constitutions. One area that the fundamental right to parent can play out is in protection order hearings that involve children. If a parent applies for a protective order preventing the other parent… Read More

September 8th, 2022 Susan O’Toole discusses updates on Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO). Read More

A Child Support Order entered in another state is referred to as a “Foreign Support Order.”  In Washington, enforcement of such foreign orders must be done in accordance with the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (codified in RCW 26.21).  Enforcement is a remedy asking the Court to compel a party to abide by the terms… Read More

Recently, the Washington State Court of Appeals released an opinion on whether a parent has a constitutional due process right to parent a child born as a result of their sexual assault. In this post, I will elaborate upon the case and the court’s holding. In the Matter of the Parentage of: R.V. – The… Read More