Congratulations to Ron Mattson!

KCBA’s Pro Bono Services is proud to name Ron Mattson as its Volunteer of the Month for May. With more than 20 years of service, Ron Mattson is a longtime volunteer with the King County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Services programs. Mattson has volunteered with four different volunteer programs and . . . → Read More: May 2013 Volunteer of the Month: Ron Mattson]]>

Congratulations to Ron Mattson!

KCBA’s Pro Bono Services is proud to name Ron Mattson as its Volunteer of the Month for May. With more than 20 years of service, Ron Mattson is a longtime volunteer with the King County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Services programs. Mattson has volunteered with four different volunteer programs and is being honored this month specifically for his work with Self Help Plus.

Mattson has been a continued supporter of the Self Help Plus program and is always willing to assist in reviewing pleadings, answer any legal questions that may arise, and also review some of the more difficult cases that come through our program.

Self Help Plus Program Manager Tanya Wanchena says, “Ron is dependable and his case reviews are always right-on. I appreciate the time Ron devotes to the SHP program and truly value him as one of my volunteers.” Pro Bono Services staff also would like to thank Mattson for his time and commitment to serving low-income individuals in King County.

Please take a moment to read more about Ron!

Support The King County Bar Foundation!

1. Part One = August 13 – 16, 2013 in Spokane, Washington, and 2. Part Two = August, 2013 (dates . . . → Read More: Capital Case Litigation Training & Letter Drop #7 Answer]]>
The Washington Death Penalty Assistance Center and the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) are recruiting participants for Capital Case Training. This training will include two four-day sessions for selected criminal defense attorneys:

1. Part One = August 13 – 16, 2013 in Spokane, Washington, and
2. Part Two = August, 2013 (dates To Be Determined) in Vancouver, Washington.

All classes and hotel/per diem will be provided at no charge to the selected participants. Space is limited to 35 and all participants chosen will be expected to attend both portions of the training. Interested attorneys who meet the requirements of SPRC 2 and Standard 14.2 (A) of the Standards for Indigent Defense must complete and submit an application by June 17th.
To apply: Please complete the three-page application. To submit, either print and snail-mail or save/scan and send via email to Katrin.Johnson@opd.wa.gov or State OPD, P.O. Box 40957, Olympia WA 98504-0957.
Applications must be received at State OPD by close of business June 17, 2013. If you have any questions, please call 360-586-3164 ext. 108.

Answer to Letter Drop puzzle #7 (answer printed in red):

R.S.V.P. by Tuesday, May 14th to AdelaineC@kcba.org.

The Kinship Care Solutions Project is looking for volunteer attorneys. Over 32,000 children in the state of Washington are living with relatives other than their parents. Many factors exist for why children in increasing numbers are in kinship care. These factors include abuse and neglect by the parent, incarceration, substance abuse, mental or physical illness, or . . . → Read More: Volunteer Attorney Opportunity with Mentoring]]>

The Kinship Care Solutions Project is looking for volunteer attorneys. Over 32,000 children in the state of Washington are living with relatives other than their parents. Many factors exist for why children in increasing numbers are in kinship care. These factors include abuse and neglect by the parent, incarceration, substance abuse, mental or physical illness, or death of the parent. Many kinship families encounter legal hurdles that impairtheir ability to safeguard the health and welfare of the children.The Kinship Care Solutions Project assists low-income kinship caregivers in Nonparental Custody (also known as Third-Party Custody) actions.

The next Kinship Care Solutions Project training will be held on May 30 and June 4, 2013 from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in Seattle. Space will be limited.

In exchange for the training, volunteers agree to represent a low-income client selected by the Project in a Nonparental Custody action. The Kinship Project’s staff attorney is available for ongoing mentoring. Cases available for referral to the volunteer panel will be presented and discussed at Session Two of the training.

Training Agenda (3.5 CLE Credits)

May 30th

Session One:

• Introduction to the Kinship Care Solutions
• Project Legal Options for Caregivers
• Jurisdictional Issues in Nonparental Custody Actions
• Case Law and Legal Standards

June 4th

Session Two:

• Nuts and Bolts of Procedures in Nonparental Custody Actions
• Case Assignments and Discussion

ONLY ATTORNEYS WILLING TO VOLUNTEER FOR A CASE ARE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND

To Become a Kinship Volunteer Register for the Training CLE Here:  https://www.kcba.org/secure/registrations/pbsregistration-kinship.aspx

The training will be in Davis Wright Tremaine’s Seattle office in the large 22nd floor conference . . . → Read More: Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program Training]]> The Veteran’s Consortium will be holding an all-day training in Seattle on Friday, May 17 for lawyers interested in representing veterans in their claims for veterans benefits.  This training is free in exchange for handling one appeal pro bono.

The training will be in Davis Wright Tremaine’s Seattle office in the large 22^nd floor conference rooms at 1201 Third Avenue, Suite 2200.

In addition to the live training in Seattle, the training be available via webinar in our offices in Anchorage, Portland, Bellevue, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Register at http://www.vetsprobono.org/volunteer-today/training-dates-for-volunteer-attorneys

The King County Bar Association is grateful to have an incredible network of volunteers supporting the Neighborhood Legal Clinics. Our volunteers offer their time and expertise to support those facing a legal issue who might not otherwise have access to the legal system.

In recognition of their dedication, KCBA invites all of our NLC . . . → Read More: Cheers to the NLC Volunteers]]>

The King County Bar Association is grateful to have an incredible network of volunteers supporting the Neighborhood Legal Clinics. Our volunteers offer their time and expertise to support those facing a legal issue who might not otherwise have access to the legal system.

In recognition of their dedication, KCBA invites all of our NLC volunteers to attend one (or several, why not) of the happy hour gatherings we’ll be holding across King County. During the last two weeks of May, happy hour events are being organized all over town to accommodate all of the NLC locations: Downtown, West Seattle, Central District, South Seattle, Eastside, Vashon Island, Kent, Renton, Greenwood, Federal Way, and Lake City. KCBA will be sending an e-mail out shortly with all the details on each event.

This is a chance for KCBA to celebrate your service. We also hope these happy hour events offer an opportunity for you to meet all the other wonderful volunteers from your clinic or a clinic nearby. Cheers!

Congratulations to Brian Cadwell, the KCBA Pro Bono Services Volunteer of the Month.

Cadwell is a longtime volunteer with the Housing Justice Project (HJP) in Kent, coming to the clinic on the first Friday of the month since 2009.  Pro Bono Services thanks Cadwell for his consistent and tireless contributions to the mission . . . → Read More: April 2013 Volunteer of the Month: Brian Cadwell]]>

Congratulations to Brian Cadwell, the KCBA Pro Bono Services Volunteer of the Month.

Cadwell is a longtime volunteer with the Housing Justice Project (HJP) in Kent, coming to the clinic on the first Friday of the month since 2009.  Pro Bono Services thanks Cadwell for his consistent and tireless contributions to the mission of preventing homelessness in south King County. You can read more about his thoughts on his volunteerism and his personal life on the Bar Bulletin Website.

Entering Contested TROs in Ex Parte:

Don’t forget to go to . . . → Read More: Tips from the Family Law Ex Parte Commissioners: Temporary Restraining Orders]]> Here are some simple suggestions for entering Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) in the Family Law Ex Parte Department. Don’t forget to review our previous posts on entering final orders and pointers for earning “gold stars” when you appear before the Family Law Commissioners.

Entering Contested TROs in Ex Parte:

Don’t forget to go to the Clerk’s Office to obtain the “Present in Person” stamp before coming to Ex Parte.

1. If the other side has appeared or responded, don’t come to court seeking a TRO without talking to the other side and giving them notice. Faxes don’t count as notice, and neither do voice mails or emails, unless you can show that you received an answer.
2. Remember what you learned in law school:  if you want to improve your chances of prevailing, make it simple.
3. Try to get to court early in the day if you are seeking a TRO. If you wait until the end of the day, you might not be heard that day.
4. Make sure that copies you provide are legible and readable.
5. Using a 12-point font helps a lot, and tell those who are typing their own declarations to use 12-point fonts as well.
6. Type handwritten documents verbatim, misspellings and all, so the court can read them; attach a copy of the handwritten document for comparison.
7. For a meaningful declaration from a non-party, explain the non-party’s relationship to both parties, how long they have known the parties, and that their declaration is based on personal knowledge, not hearsay. Please explain hearsay to them. You may receive two gold stars if you follow this suggestion.
8. Highlight the portions of attachments you believe support your case and argue only the relevant facts. You may have lived with this case while preparing it and know it inside and out, but the court is seeing it for the first time. There is no meaningful time for the court to prepare for your emergency argument. The other side should receive the same benefit of highlighting.
9. Succinctly point out what relief you are seeking in Ex Parte. Remember that there is a statute about the extent of the relief that Ex Parte can grant; generally Ex Parte does not have the authority to appoint experts, provide for maintenance, child support, or attorney fees, enter a parenting plan, etc. in a Temporary Restraining Order and Order to Show Cause.
10. If you are seeking an Ex Parte order removing a spouse or domestic partner from the shared residence, you must have a basis. It also is helpful if you can point out what access to resources that spouse has, e.g. friends or family to stay with, access to financial resources, use of a vehicle, etc.
11. Be sure to include the parenting declaration if children are involved. If you are willing to give the other parent time with the children, please set forth that residential time in the Temporary Restraining Order and Order to Show Cause.
12. The more complete your order to show cause is, the less time it will take, which saves your client money and frustration.
13. Don’t forget to sign your order if presenting in person!