Among the commonly asked questions for those considering divorce is the question of what to do to protect your business in the divorce process. The structure of your company determines to a large extent how complicated the divorce will be with respect to that item. If it is structured as a 50-50 partnership between husband [...]

 Meretricious Relationships and the Law Not every live-in relationship qualifies as a meretricious relationship. To determine if such a relationship exists and therefore if division of the property should proceed as if the parties were married, these important considerations must be examined: Has there been continuous cohabitation? What has been the duration of the relationship? [...]

The Benefits of a Domestic Partnership Agreement A domestic partnership agreement can define the rights and responsibilities of the parties regarding the ownership of personal property, the ownership of real property, living expenses, and a great deal more. It can eliminate or minimize the likelihood of litigation should the relationship break up. It can protect [...]

Under the laws of Washington State, a prenuptial agreement can be legally enforced, as can co-habitation agreements. However, they must conform to certain principles. The parties to a prenup must understand what the agreement covers. They should each have independent counsel who can advise them, and if necessary, renegotiate clauses in the agreement. The parties [...]

A prenuptial agreement provides many benefits. It can protect the financial assets of persons entering into a marriage. It can protect the inheritance rights of children born of earlier marriages. It can remove potential sources of anxiety in a marriage by providing a clear understanding of what property belongs to whom. Should a divorce occur, [...]

In Washington the individuals in a long-term relationship have certain rights and obligations to each other regarding their property. The concept of a meretricious relationship, established by the Washington Supreme Court, allows certain aspects of the community property laws to be applied to live-in relationships. As a result, if a non-married couple breaks up, they may have to divide [...]