http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog The very best in Law Services Mon, 18 May 2009 17:19:52 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en By Rebecca L. Reed, Attorney The following focuses on the legal pitfalls of building a home (or engaging in any construction project) associated with the hiring of engineers, general contractors and subcontractors. Although building a home or doing construction involves many types of legal pitfalls, the following will only discuss the ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/21/property-owner%e2%80%99s-assumption-of-liability-for-their-engineer-general-contractor-or-subcontractor/ A person may gain title to property via "adverse possession." The basic concept is that if someone (a possessor) has open, notoriously and actually "possessed" a piece of property for a continuous period of 10 years, the property becomes the posessor's, even if not purchased or gifted or otherwise transferred ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/20/acquiring-ownership-of-land-by-adverse-possession/ By Rebecca L. Reed, Attorney A. Operating Agreements should be specific and set forth contributions The Operating Agreement controls the respective obligations of the LLC's members. It is an important document. Among the various provisions that should be set forth in the Operating Agreement, are the manner and amount of contributions made by ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/20/llc-member-contributions-and-fiduciary-duties/ Do You Need a Will? If you do not have a will or other valid testamentary device, upon death, your estate is distributed "intestate" and pursuant to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 11.04.015. You will not have control over who inherits your estate because the statute names your beneficiaries ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/20/do-you-need-a-will-how-does-a-will-affect-nonprobate-assets-like-bank-accounts-with-joint-right-of-survivorship-etc/ By Rebecca L. Reed, Attorney In Alejandre v. Bull, Docket Number, 76247-1, the Supreme Court applied the economic loss rule to preclude the Buyer's claims of negligent misrepresentation for losses flowing from a defective septic system, which the Buyers claimed the Seller knew about prior to closing, but did not disclose ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/20/supreme-court-rules-that-property-buyers-cannot-recover-damages-to-property-for-a-seller%e2%80%99s-failure-to-disclose-a-defect-on-the-basis-of-negligent-misrepresentation/ By Rebecca L. Reed, Attorney We draft contracts for individuals and businesses who often come to us with either a list of their needs and objectives or an existing contract, which they want overhauled so that it strongly reinforces their rights and remedies and prevents or mitigates damages against them. The ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/20/the-importance-of-drafting-strong-contracts/ By Rebecca L. Reed, Attorney In Davis v. Baugh Industrial Contractors, Inc., et. al. (Docket No. 76696-7), the Supreme Court considered whether the Doctrine of Completion and Acceptance should bar a claim for negligent work of a contractor for work that was completed and accepted by the property owner, thereby barring ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2009/04/20/in-davis-v-baugh-industrial-contractors-inc-et-al-docket-no-76696-7-the-supreme-court-considered-whether-the-doctrine-of-completion-and-acceptance-should-bar-a-claim-for-negligent-work-of-a/ Governor Gregoire appointed Court of Appeals Judge Debra Stephens to the Supreme Court this month. Prior to her new appointment, Justice Stephens served as a Court of Appeals Division III Judge after practicing as an attorney in Spokane, Washington. Justice Stephens replaces retiring Justice Bobbe Bridge. http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2008/01/03/judge-debra-l-stephens-appointed-to-supreme-court-of-washington-state-by-governor-gregoire/ The Doctrine of Meretricious Relationships, also referred to as the Law of Committed Intimate Relationships, is an equitable doctrine which has been applied in situations where a couple has lived in a committed intimate relationship for a significant time and has acquired property. The Doctrine takes into consideration the couple's ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2007/10/01/washington-state-supreme-court-applies-law-of-meretricious-relationship-to-division-of-property-when-two-partners-die-intestate/ By Rebecca L. Reed, Attorney In Atchison v. Great W. Malting Co., Docket No. 80034-1 (2007), at the time of the decedent's death in 2000, the decedent's immediate next of kin and child was 15. In 2003, the child turned 18 and in 2005, the child was appointed personal representative of ... http://www.reedlawfirm.us/blog/2007/08/30/washington-state-supreme-court-holds-that-minority-of-personal-representative-does-not-toll-statute-of-limitations-applicable-to-wrongful-death-statute/