Happy Holidays from Mason Law - to you and all the families in your lives.

Here at Mason Law we fight when we must, but we also never forget that family never ends, and that is why we make the process of divorce as painless as we can while still protecting your interests - especially your long-term interests. 

Yes, your legal parenting plan ends when the children turn 18, but Thanksgivings and Christmases will still come and go.  Grandchildren will be born. There will be graduations from college and trade schools, promotions to celebrate, and the comedies and tragedies of life to share.  Your family might have divorced, and people might have gone their separate ways, but family never ends.  Ties of affection, new and old - even old affections that fell apart - all leave their lasting marks as part of your lives.  As long as any human being lives on with those pieces of time together and emotions shared is alive, family history - all of it - lives on.

This holiday season, look at each other with compassion.  Try to look out at the world through the understandings, even out through the misunderstandings, that some person had at whom you are tempted to be angry or frustrated.  Contemplate how maybe he or she could be frustrated with and by you, and how maybe the other person is a little bit right. Broaden your perspective. Broaden your heart and accept our sincere hope that you never need family law services again in your life.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Mason Law.

Buy a Personal Computer to Save Money

It might sound strange that spending money will save you money, but it will.

In the “recent old days” people had a flip phone and a good computer, which meant that they used email, they could read documents easily, and they could write complete rough drafts and fill out family law forms in rough draft to be edited by attorneys.  They saved their lawyers’ time, which saved the clients’ money.  Punctuation was more common; capitalization was used, and thoughts were more complete, even in the rough drafts.

Gradually phones became ever more powerful and expensive, and people quit buying personal computers, using their phones as their only computers. Now, they might have trouble reading documents, and instead of a complete rough draft in response to the other side’s documents, numerous texts might be sent, without capitalization or punctuation as an“email” from their phones. This ends up costing the clients money, as their lawyers need more time to put together, and make presentable for the courts, what is sent.

Here is my advice:  While we at Mason Law are happy to piece together your statements, and do it all the time, we want your legal bill to be as low as possible, and time is our inventory. Time is money.  You will be money ahead in your divorce or parenting plan action to buy a low-cost personal computer, with word-processing and email capacity, and a cheap printer. Help us help you save money.  But no matter what, call Mason Law in Spokane, WA, at  (509) 443-3681 for all your family law needs.

How to Divorce Peacefully

Divorce can be a low-conflict process, especially if people keep a few things in mind.  (1) The judges are to make parenting plans in the best interests of the children, and if parents also take this viewpoint, then their views can converge on the needs of the children.  Their divergent views of each other can be set aside, and need not ever be resolved, for the marriage to be dissolved.  Everyone can move on.  (2) The judges are to make a just and equitable division of all assets and liabilities, whether the judge ultimately finds the property or debts to be community or separate property.  Parties can step back, and ask themselves:  “What would look fair to a detached stranger?”  While “wants” diverge, what truly is “just and equitable” is likely to converge.

Craig Mason is one of those attorneys in the State of Washington who can guide you realistically to resolution.  While Mr. Mason has intensely litigated cases when his client is under attack.  Mr. Mason will not be the one inciting the conflict.  He will be counseling you in your best long-run interests. If you want to avoid courtroom contentiousness, if possible to do so, call Mason Law located in Spokane at West 1707 Broadway.  What you are going through is tough enough, maybe there is a quieter, gentler solution.  Call the team at Mason Law at (509) 443-3681.

Is the Other Parent Trying to Get "Sole Custody" of your Children?

Your family has been disrupted by divorce and the kids are caught in the middle. If you do not have really significant behavioral, drug, or problems with crimes that implicate your ability to parent, Washington courts will give you substantial time with your children, even if your soon-to-be-ex is threatening you with "taking the kids from you."  That just will not happen unless you or the courts seriously misfire.

These days the law presumes that it is in the best interests to be raised by both parents, and that is what the court will arrange, unless something goes really wrong.  Some unscrupulous attorneys will promise your angry ex-spouse that they can get "sole custody" and keep you from your children, and they will ramp up hyper-aggressive allegations against you to try to show that your presence is actually harmful to the children.

Spokane family lawyer, Craig Mason, is accustomed to pushing back against these outlandish attempts to keep you from your children, and he has years of experience in helping people like you arrange the facts and witness statements to defeat such attempts to take you out of the lives of your children.

When you hire Attorney Mason and his staff to represent you in a Washington family court you can enter with confidence that you have excellent and effective council.  Make in introductory appointment at Mason Law located at W. 1707 Broadway in Spokane WA by calling (509) 443-3681. 

How Many Parents Can a Child Have?

A child can never have too many people love and nourish the child.

The Washington State legislature has addressed the complexity of modern family life with an entirely new parentage statute.  RCW 26.26A allows for a child to have “more than two” parents, which is true enough with blended families.  The statute adds legal definitions for those who have been parents-in-fact (“de facto parents”) of children for years and gives them a route to be included in visitation orders.

The case law has been evolving rapidly as judges try to provide reasonable regulation to address family-life reality as it comes to the courts. These new statutes will take years to fully interpret in new case law, but the judges and the legislatures are working to protect your relationships with children who need you.

To help you present these complex issues to the judges who are adjusting the law to the new realities, call Mason Law at (509) 443-3681 for an experienced family law attorney to help you maintain precious relationships with the children in your life.

Washington State’s New Family Leave Law.

Under Washington’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave law, eligible employees will be entitled to paid leave up to 12 weeks for family care (family leave) and up to 16 weeks combined family and medical leave beginning in 2019.  Starting January 1, 2020, employees may begin taking PFML leave.

Let’s review the family leave portion of this new law.  It includes caring for a newborn or newly-adopted child or even a family member with a serious health condition, that includes a child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild.  As you can see, it is quite sweeping.

Washington State has passed a ground-breaking act and you should be aware of it.  As it pertains to Family Law matters in the Spokane area or anywhere around Eastern Washington, I hope that I can be of assistance.  My name is Craig Mason.  I am a Family Law attorney located at W. 1707 Broadway in Spokane.  Please call me for an appointment at (509) 443-3681.