McKinley Irvin Blogs from July 2007

• Legislature Acts Post-Andersen Domestic Partnership Bill

  Jul 19, 2007
  On March 1, the Washington Senate – followed by the House last month – passed a domestic partnership bill (SB 5336/HB 1351), which will establish a domestic partnership 1 registry. Governor Christine Gregoire signed the Senate bill into law on April 21. This legislation will pose new challenges for attorneys who represent gay and lesbian couples, and unmarried couples where one partner is over 62 years of age. The law will provide eligible couples, who register their relationships, with legal protections under Washington ...
  Posted By David Starks
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• "Shared" Custody is Now Shared Child Custody

  Jul 6, 2007
  A potentially radical change to Washington’s custody laws is now on the books. Courts can now determine shared custody of a child regardless of whether his or her parents indicate they will cooperate with the arrangement. Surprised? Anyone who has talked to divorced parents might assume that shared custody agreements, where children spend equal time with each parent, are a given in family courts. But, before July 1, 2007, the rule in Washington was that shared or joint physical custody didn’t really exist. In reality, ...
  Posted By David Starks
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