Yakima Family Law Blog

No one likes to think about divorce when he or she is planning to marry. However, in some circumstances, such as when the person also happens to be a Washington business owner, it is a wise business decision to think ahead and to not ignore the possibility that any marriage could ultimately end in divorce. Doing so enables a business owner to take steps to protect business assets should a marriage someday end in court.  

Washington happens to be one of only nine states in the nation that continue to operate under community property laws in divorce. This means that all marital assets are typically split 50/50 between spouses. Unless a business owner executed a prenuptial plan before marrying, marital property would include the value of the business at the time of the divorce.  

In business, divorce or any other transaction that includes signing a contract, Washington readers will want to remember the importance of carefully reading all terms therein and making sure they understand them before signing. A dispute may arise down the line if one or more parties of a contract suddenly claim they did not understand what they were signing. A man who was once married Elvis Presley's daughter says he was unaware of the contents of the post-nuptial agreements he signed.

Lisa Marie Presley has been married four times. While she paid spousal support to her first husband, she did not pay any to her second or third. It is her fourth husband who complained that he was unaware that signing a post nuptial contract would prevent him from ever receiving spousal support from Presley.

Many Washington spouses encounter challenges when navigating the family justice system, especially regarding divorce. It's never an easy process, and when one spouse is out to get revenge on the other or is trying to gain the upper-hand in property division proceedings, things can messy. If anyone reading this post is worried about possible hidden assets in divorce, there are several issues to pay close attention to when trying to confirm a suspicion or gather evidence to catch a spouse in the act.  

Spouses trying to beat the system concerning marital assets in divorce may make one or more expensive purchases, which they will then attempt to undervalue. For instance, if a spouse suddenly adds numerous pieces to an art collection or buys another high-end item, such as a piece of jewelry or an expensive oriental rug, it may be a sign that he or she is attempting to hide assets. Another common means for hiding assets is to overpay on federal tax returns.  

"Grey's Anatomy" fans in Washington and beyond are typically big fans of Jesse Williams, the actor who plays Doctor Jackson Avery on the show. While the character Williams plays faces stress or emotional challenges in the series, it's fiction and, as such, doesn't impact his real life. However, the stress he has been dealing with in a child support battle with his former wife is another situation altogether, and it's definitely real.

Williams and his ex have two children, for whom he has been ordered to pay more than $50,000 per month in support. He also provides his former spouse with $50,000 in monthly spousal support payments. That's why he was upset with the court's recent ruling to increase his child support payments.