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.

The ChallengeA client in an unsafe living situation reached out to work through their next steps, with one priority above all: protecting their young child. Both had experienced domestic violence — yet they relied on the opposing party for housing and financial stability.

How We HelpedMitchell Polonsky identified the need for a Domestic Violence Protection Order from the very first consultation. Working with our paralegal team, he prepared the argument that the opposing party should be evaluated for substance abuse — then argued it effectively in court against opposing counsel.

The OutcomeThe court approved a parenting plan limiting the opposing party’s access to the child unless they followed a substance abuse treatment plan — paired with spousal maintenance and child support so the client could provide a safe, comfortable home.

The ChallengeA client sought to dissolve a marriage involving complex property division — a home, pets, vehicles, bank and retirement accounts, and shared debt. The relationship with the opposing party was amicable, but the client wanted their property protected and a secure footing for life after the divorce.

How We HelpedAshley Jacquin met with the client for a detailed overview of the estate. We treat divorce as a next chapter, not an ending — and property division as the foundation for long-term recovery. Together they mapped which assets mattered most, financially and emotionally.

The OutcomeThe final division included a cash payment equalizing the community property the client retained — preserving the retirement accounts that secured their financial future and the pets that carried them through a difficult period.

The ChallengeAfter domestic violence concerns, the client’s child had lived with them for an extended period with no contact from the opposing party. The situation was stable — but the original parenting plan remained in force and could have been used to compel an unsafe arrangement at any time.

How We HelpedRyan Cross affirmed the client was right to act before a problem arose rather than after. Drawing on a deep understanding of the modification process, he worked with the client to prepare the petition and supporting filings for the court.

The OutcomeThe court granted the client sole custody and full decision-making authority, limiting the opposing party to occasional monitored virtual contact — definitive protection, peace of mind, and a more stable future for the child.