Client Stories & Real Outcomes

The ChallengeA client needed protection from an ex who was secretly tracking their location and repeatedly showing up uninvited — ignoring clear boundaries. No physical violence had occurred, a reminder that protection orders also cover stalking and coercive contact.

How We HelpedPeyton McCulley explained the client’s rights and the DVPO process, prioritizing safety given the real risk of escalation. We issued a firm demand letter warning that further contact would lead to court, and when it continued, we moved to file.

The OutcomeBacked by the client’s records and a clear strategy, we secured a strong Domestic Violence Protection Order, and, just as importantly, real peace of mind.

The ChallengeA client who had never hired an attorney needed guidance through a divorce involving a child under ten, a shared home and retirement accounts, and a skeptical, uncooperative spouse. Their goal: a clean separation centered on their child.

How We HelpedMitchell Polonsky guided the client from the first consultation through difficult conversations, keeping the child’s best interests central. As the opposing party resisted, we worked with their eventual counsel to reach mediation and avoid a costly trial.

The OutcomeMediation delivered exactly the terms the client hoped for — property divided to plan, incomes confirmed equal enough that no support was needed, and a parenting plan built around the child.

The ChallengeAn unmarried couple had bought a home together when a domestic violence incident occurred. The opposing party offered money in exchange for silence; our client simply wanted to buy out their stake and move forward safely.

How We HelpedLeading with empathy, our team mapped both parties’ goals, then drafted a realistic agreement: refinance the home, pay out the other party’s share, and add protective terms so the key handoff and removal of belongings required no direct contact.

The OutcomeThrough mediation the agreement was signed — the home refinanced in the client’s name, the other party paid for their stake, and a clear, contact-free transition. We also connected the client with resources to begin healing.

The ChallengeA client in a short marriage with no children, experiencing emotional abuse, wanted to understand how a shared home, savings accounts and pets would likely be divided — before deciding whether to divorce at all.

How We HelpedSara Penn opened with a thorough consultation to ease financial fears and frame divorce as a fresh start. Once the client chose to proceed, proactive communication kept the case in mediation. In Washington — a community property state — careful records made a fair division possible.

The OutcomeThe client gained sole ownership of the home, a fair split of accounts based on each party’s contributions, and kept their pets — with a trial, and its costs, avoided entirely.

The ChallengeA couple, each bringing significant income and assets, wanted a prenuptial agreement with the wedding just a month away — a tight timeline to clearly define separate property before marriage.

How We HelpedPeyton McCulley worked quickly with both parties and opposing counsel to draft a clear agreement. Because Washington treats post-marriage income as community property absent an agreement, defining each party’s contributions mattered. When planning pushed the date, Peyton adapted — converting the prenup into a postnuptial agreement.

The OutcomeAfter the wedding, all parties reviewed and signed an agreement defining incomes, assets, debt responsibility and division terms — leaving a happily married couple with a strong, clear foundation.

The ChallengeA parent living out of state had summer visitation that allowed travel home with the children. They faced an attempt to confine all visits to Washington — based on unfounded claims of mental instability, the latest in a pattern.

How We HelpedSara Penn built a clear picture of the client’s positive, stable relationship with their children. With mediation off the table, she prepared the client for trial and argued — putting the children first — that restricting this bond would only harm them.

The OutcomeThe court declined to modify the parenting plan. The client kept their travel visitation and lost no time with their children, remaining a positive force in their lives during a critical period.