Tacoma Family Law Attorneys

While any legal issue can be stressful, cases involving your spouse, children, or other family members can be particularly personal and sensitive. Family law cases have their own rules, requirements, and procedures and you always want to have an attorney on your side who is thoroughly familiar with family law claims in Tacoma. At the Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, we regularly handle a variety of family law cases, including:

Family Law–Frequently Asked Questions:

Because family-related legal challenges can be so complex, it is expected that you will have many different questions about your case. The following are some of many common questions you may have in regard to your family law dispute:

  • What are the requirements for divorce in WA? Just as there are legal requirements to get married, there are also requirements to legally end a marriage. You or your spouse must be a resident of the state, you must have a legally valid marriage, and you must state that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” In addition, you must resolve issues such as child custody and property division before a divorce will be granted.
  • How does a court resolve custody disputes? All custody cases are decided based on what the court deems is in the best interests of the child. Many factors can be considered when determining what arrangement will be in your child’s best interests.
  • Do I need an attorney for my family law case? There is often a lot at stake in family law cases, including where you live and how often you will see your child. For this reason, you should never risk an unfavorable outcome by trying to handle a case yourself and you should always seek legal guidance and assistance with family-related issues.

What to do if you have a family law issue

Knowing that a family law matter is imminent can be stressful. It is important to focus on ways that you can better ensure the most favorable outcome for you and your children, including the following:

  • Keep notes of any different or new behavior on the part of your spouse, including large purchases or selling property. This could be an attempt to hide assets from you in an upcoming divorce.
  • If you or your children are in danger, you should immediately take action by calling law enforcement and seeking legal help to obtain an order of protection.
  • Gather and review financial documents. Make sure your name is properly on titles, familiarize yourself with all bank and investment accounts, and take inventory of your assets.
  • Start thinking about the future – where will you live? How much assistance will you need to support yourself and your children? Do you need to find different insurance? Do you need time to find a better job?

The above are only a few of many things to consider if you are facing divorce, child custody dispute, or another family law issue. The good news is that the highly skilled family lawyers at the Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess are here to guide you through the legal process and advise you of all the ways you can protect your interests and the interests of your children. Please call our team today for more information about our family law services.

Our experienced Tacoma family law attorneys can help

Our attorneys can be of assistance in many different ways throughout your family law case. Only a few examples of how we can help include:

  • Explain the legal process to you to alleviate some of your stress involving legal requirements and procedures.
  • Identify any issues that need to be addressed and resolved to complete your case.
  • Help to find efficient ways to resolve any disputes outside of the courtroom to save you time, money, and stress.
  • Protect your rights and interests and those of your children.
  • Ensure you have the financial support you need for you and your children.
  • Represent you in court hearings.
  • Client Testimonial

    ”After speaking with Rob for a short period of time, an immense amount of stress and confusion was lifted from me and my wife while navigating an unfortunate boundary line dispute. We had no idea how to deal with the issue, but Rob was super friendly and walked us through all aspects of boundary line disputes. He taught us about typical disputes, how they tend to go, all the legal rules, and how much legal guidance and work tends to cost. But above and beyond that, Rob took an active interest in OUR particular case and took time to understand it in depth. He’s such a wonderful guy to work with, and while we never wish for additional legal troubles in the future, we’re much less worried about it knowing that Rob would be on our side.” – Robert Warren (Google Review)

At the Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, we understand how important family law issues are and we approach every family-related case with compassion and personalized attention. Our family law attorneys work to find solutions that help to preserve your family relationships and your financial situation. Please contact our office for a consultation at 253-572-1000 or through our online contact form.

Attorney Robert Dickson

Attorney Robert DicksonThe core of Rob’s legal practice is civil litigation, with an emphasis on construction, real estate, and business law. He represents a wide range of clients, from large construction companies to individual homeowners. His is a practical approach to law, which strives to balance the need for a successful legal outcome with a client’s financial goals (or constraints). Outside of his private practice, Rob serves as an adjunct professor at the Seattle University School of Law where he teaches real estate litigation. [ Attorney Bio ]

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    Attorney Thomas L. Dickson

    Thomas L. Dickson

    Tom is an experienced litigator and the founding partner of the firm. For over 30 years, he’s helped clients prevail in their real estate, construction, and business law matters.

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    Attorney Heather Burgess

    Heather Burgess

    Heather represents property owners and developers in all phases of real estate development, from pre-acquisition due diligence through local permitting and appeals.

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    Attorney Robert P. Dickson

    Robert P. Dickson

    The core of Rob’s legal practice is civil litigation, with an emphasis on construction, real estate, and business law. He represents a wide range of clients, from large construction companies to individual homeowners.

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    Attorney Daniel J. Frohlich

    Daniel J. Frohlich

    Dan’s legal practice focuses on civil litigation, real estate law, business law and probate law. He has more than 10 years of experience as an attorney serving clients throughout Western Washington.

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    Attorney Mark S. Johnson

    Mark S. Johnson

    Mark’s legal practice focuses on civil litigation, real estate law, business law and family law. He works tirelessly to help his clients achieve the outcome they are looking for.

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    Attorney Trevor A. Zandell

    Trevor A. Zandell

    Since graduating with honors from law school in 2005, Trevor has been serving the legal needs of businesses, individuals, and families across Southwest Washington.

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    Attorney Daniel E. Pizarro

    Daniel E. Pizarro

    As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Daniel is active in the firm’s civil litigation department. His practice is mainly centered around real estate law, landlord-tenant law, construction law, and probate law.

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    Attorney Alexander J. Wisbey

    Alexander J. Wisbey

    Alexander Wisbey comes to the firm with 5 years of experience as a litigator and trial attorney. He has first chaired several jury trials and has extensive experience handling arbitrations, mediations, depositions, and settlements.

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    Attorney Andrew Hata

    Andrew Hata

    Andrew is the head of our Transactional Department and focuses his practice on corporate governance, real estate transactions, commercial contracts, and corporate finance.

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    Attorney Kelley Duggan

    Kelley Duggan

    As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Kelley practices in a wide range of areas, including estate planning, probate, civil litigation, and intellectual property law.

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    Attorney Cambria A. Queen

    Cambria A. Queen

    Cambria is an Associate with Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess in the civil litigation department, where she practices primarily real estate and probate law.

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    Attorney George Knight

    George Knight

    As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, George is active in the firm’s civil litigation and transactional departments. His practice is mainly centered around business law, real estate law, construction law, employment law, and probate law.

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    Attorney Chris Pierce-Wright

    Chris Pierce-Wright

    Chris comes to Phillips Burgess Tacoma from Seattle, where he served as an associate attorney focused on insurance litigation with Wilson Smith Cochran Dickerson.

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    Attorney Jennifer Yoo

    Jennifer Yoo

    Jennifer is an associate attorney at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess where her current practice focuses on real estate law, contract and commercial disputes, and business law.

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    Attorney Katherine E. Baals

    Katherine E. Baals

    As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Katherine practices in a range of areas, including real estate, construction, business, and civil litigation.

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    Attorney Kenneth Chan

    Kenneth Chan

    As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, PLLC, Kenny is active in the firm’s civil litigation and transactional departments. Prior to working at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Kenny was an in-house attorney for a Fortune 100 company.

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    Attorney Brian Buske

    Brian Buske

    Following his graduation from Lewis & Clark Law School, Brian garnered valuable client experience working on international compliance and intellectual property issues.

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    Attorney Kyla S. Bennett

    Kyla S. Bennett

    As an associate at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Kyla practices in a range of areas, including real estate, land use, and civil litigation.

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    Attorney Matt Wand

    Matt Wand

    Matt was born and raised in East Multnomah County in the Gresham area where he lives and has raised his family. His wife of more than twenty-five years is Anne Wand and they have three children together.

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    testimonials

    I highly recommend Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess and if I ever need a lawyer again they will be my first call.

    - Jeremy H.

    I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate this firm! These guys helped me through one of the most challenging legal situations I’ve faced in my life. Their skill and expertise literally saved my business. I’ve dealt with other counsel in the past but the Dickson firm was by far the most competent and tactful counsel I’ve ever received. I would recommend this group to anyone!

    - Keith D.

    It’s a pleasure to work with the guys at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess. One of the first things that stood out to me was how down to earth and friendly everyone at the firm is. I would definitely recommend them.

    - Den L.