McKinley Irvin Blogs from July 2020

• Divorce and COVID-19 Guide

  Jul 31, 2020
  McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney Theresa Lorella's Divorce and COVID-19 Guide is intended to help answer basic questions you may have about your family law case in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Theresa Lorella is a family law attorney and mediator with 15 years’ experience. The topics in this guide reflect the most common questions she has received since the first stay-at-home orders went into effect. Download “Divorce and COVID-19 Guide: 19 Tips To Productively Navigate Your Family Law Matter During The Pandemic” (pdf) ...
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• Collaborative Law: A Court-Free Path to Resolution

  Jul 29, 2020
  By Theresa Lorella, McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney Most people, including attorneys, use the term “collaborate” to mean working together cooperatively. When we use it in family law, we are referring to a specific process where both parties agree—in a contract—that they will not use litigation to resolve their family law matter. They will each hire a collaborative law attorney and begin to work together, using their attorneys to facilitate a process that aims to achieve a mutually agreed and sustainable agreement. Through the ...
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• Finishing, Enforcing, or Changing Court Orders During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Jul 24, 2020
  By Theresa Lorella, McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney Perhaps it is the increased time at home, or perhaps it is the increased economic anxieties, but it seems as if many people are finding themselves in situations where they are wondering if their original court orders should be modified moving forward. Others are seeing that their court orders may not be sustainable in the face of this pandemic and they need help to enforce the terms of their current decree or parenting orders. Because rules and practices regarding the ...
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• COVID-19: Preparing for Divorce Trial When the Court is Ready

  Jul 23, 2020
  By Theresa Lorella, McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney Many trials have been delayed, perhaps emphasizing the option to use alternate dispute resolution to come to a solution in divorces and other matters. Most family law cases will settle before they go to trial—in my area, the percentage of agreed cases is probably around 97%. Sometimes settlement is months before the scheduled trial date, soon after filing a case, or even before parties file at all. Sometimes settlement doesn’t come until weeks or days before the scheduled ...
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• Divorcing Without an Attorney

  Jul 21, 2020
  Attorneys are often surprised by the number of people who need help because their DIY divorce left them without assets or property they may have been entitled to. Although it is less expensive to handle a divorce proceeding independently, this can be detrimental in the future. Here are just a few of the risks of DIY divorce. Child Support Issues If you have children, then determining which parent will have to pay child support is not something you want to do on your own. Child support payments are calculated based on earned ...
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• Settling Divorces Outside of Court During the Pandemic

  Jul 17, 2020
  By Theresa Lorella, McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney Now more than ever is a wonderful time to utilize one of the many alternate dispute resolution processes available, also known as “ADR.” This blanket term encompasses a variety of tools that can be used to reduce the conflict in your case and guide you to an efficient and final determination. If done through mutual agreement, this resolution may be one that is durable and empowering to both parties. Mediation The most common dispute resolution option for family law is ...
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• McKinley Irvin Attorneys Named to 2020 Washington Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

  Jul 16, 2020
  We are proud to congratulate McKinley Irvin’s family lawyers who have been selected for inclusion in the 2020 Washington Super Lawyers & Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are nominated by their peers for outstanding professional achievement and selected through a formal review process. Super Lawyers represent the top 5 percent of all attorneys in Washington State and Rising Stars represent the top 2.5 percent of attorneys who are under 40 or have been in practice for less than 10 years. This year, more than ...
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• Discovery: Gathering Information for Divorces During COVID-19

  Jul 14, 2020
  By Theresa Lorella, McKinley Irvin Senior Attorney “Discovery” is an umbrella term that attorneys use to mean several different tools to gather information. Some of these tools are formal, such as subpoenas and depositions, and some of the tools are informal, such as an agreed exchange of bank statements and other financial information. This phase of the case typically happens after you have filed a case with the court and usually after you have made some temporary or interim orders or agreements. For folks who may not need ...
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