Recent News

How Do Washington Courts Determine Whether a Filing or Claim is Frivolous?

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 5/22/2025
The recent Washington State Court of Appeals’ decision In Re Est. of Sylvester offers valuable insight into just how high the bar is for a Washington court to determine that filings or claims were frivolous so as to award attorney’s fees to the prevailing party.  The Sylvester decision also concerned the issue of jurisdiction, but… Read More

Consequences of Failing to Preserve Evidence

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 4/30/2025
In Washington, parties to a lawsuit have the opportunity to obtain a broad range of information and documents from another party (and non-parties) through a process called discovery. During the discovery phase of a lawsuit, a party can, among other things, (1) ask another party for information using written questions called interrogatories, (2) request that… Read More

When Is An Individual Liable For An Entity’s Debts? Piercing The Corporate Veil

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Andrew M. McKenzie | 4/23/2025
People often do business through corporate entities such as corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships in part in order to limit risk of personal liability.  Generally speaking, corporate shareholders, members of LLCs, and limited partners have no liability for the entity’s debts.  The entity acts as a kind of “shield” or “veil,” protecting the investors behind… Read More

Legal ‘Wins’ That Can Feel Like Losses

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 4/2/2025
The recent decision, Vision Landscapes v. Amundson, concerns a landscaping company (“Vision”), and a married couple, the Amundsons. The Amundsons hired Vision for landscaping services but disputed Vision’s final invoice. The dispute arose when the Amundsons refused to pay Vision, which then filed a lien and filed a lawsuit. Following extensive motion practice, the Amundsons… Read More

Sometimes the Best Offense is a Good Defense

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 4/2/2025
While watching countless hours of March Madness over the past few weeks, you may have heard an announcer or commentator say, “the best offense is a good defense.”  The same can be said for civil litigation. This article explains how a person or entity can avoid some of the common pitfalls that often arise in… Read More

A Less Expensive Option for Resolution in Civil Litigation

Washington State Litigation Lawyer Aaron M. Dunn | 2/28/2025
When some think about civil litigation, they think about what is often portrayed in shows and movies: lawyers examining witnesses and presenting arguments in front of a judge or jury at trial. In reality, trials in civil matters are rare. The reasons why the vast majority of civil cases resolve before trial include the fact… Read More