All posts by Héctor E. Quiroga

Spousal maintenance in Spokane County does work differently than in other counties. Some counties in Washington will allow court commissioners to make decisions regarding child support and alimony; some will only allow Superior Court judges to make such decision, even if done in a temporary basis.
All things being equal, you could walk away from your divorce scot-free. If you’re divorcing in Washington State and things aren’t equal, however, the court may order spousal maintenance.
Also known as “alimony,” spousal maintenance consists of mandated payments from the higher-earning spouse to the person who earns less.
The size of the payment depends partly on how many years the couple was married — the fewer the years, the lower the award tends to be — and partly upon the incomes of those divorcing. Other factors include work history and whether or not the person needing support is able to work, including his or her physical and emotional condition.
The wheels of spousal maintenance in Spokane start turning as soon as your attorney files your petition for divorce. The procedure differs among counties in Washington, but in Spokane County a court commissioner will first review your financial declaration and that of your spouse, your tax records and bank statements, and other documents before signing temporary orders establishing payments.

Whoever said the pedestrian always has the right of way?
In Washington, nothing could be farther from the truth. If you’re a pedestrian, you must obey laws just as drivers do. You also have rights, however, which often include the right to medical coverage if a vehicle hits you, and possibly more.
Your vehicle insurance policy may provide coverage in case of a collision, even if you’re crossing the street on foot. If you aren’t insured, the insurance someone in your household carries — a parent, a spouse, or even a roommate — may pay your medical bills. Or, if the driver caused the accident, his or her insurance may pay.
Insurance companies, however, want to make money, not spend it. Some may unscrupulously try to discredit a pedestrian’s claims of injury or pain.
That’s why calling an attorney is one of the first things you should do if a vehicle strikes you. Because you can bet the insurance companies have already called their lawyers.
And remember: you have the right to remain silent. That claims adjuster may be friendly, but his job is to gather evidence against you.

As a bankruptcy attorney in Spokane Washington, I hear it all the time. Either creditors harass consumers for payment or they hire collection companies to contact consumers and attempt to collect a legitimate claim.
Usually, the creditor has a valid claim or that the debtor owes money to the creditor. The question often is: how far can a creditor go? What can a consumer do to stop the harassment? What are our specific and local rights in Spokane, Washington?
These are good questions and truthfully, questions like this, encourage me to talk about this subject.
How far can a creditor go when attempting to collect on a legitimate claim for money owed?
Creditors have a right and a duty to collect on the money owed to them. They can initiate legal actions and garnish wages, sell assets, or even foreclose on real estate if the proper legal process is followed.

The meeting of creditors (341 Meetings) are required in every bankruptcy case (Chapter 7 and/or 13). When you file for bankruptcy, typically, you will file a petition that is conformed of a Voluntary Petition with some Schedules. You will also file what is called a Creditor Matrix, which is a list of all your creditors with their contact information. When you file your petition the court will do two things: first, the court is going to set into motion what is called an Automatic Stay on the date of filing (11 USC § 362). The Automatic Stay is the law that will protect you against anybody harassing, contacting, calling you, etc. You receive immediate protection as soon as you file for bankruptcy, whether you file a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13.
The second thing that happens when you file your bankruptcy petition is the court schedules your Meeting of Creditors. The meeting is in Downtown Spokane at the Federal Court House 5th floor. This meeting is required by the Bankruptcy Code and is usually referred to as a 341 Meeting (11 USC § 341).