Skellenger Bender

Washington criminal restitution requires defendants to repay victims for losses caused by the crime — mandatory in many cases, enforceable as civil judgment, often non-dischargeable in bankruptcy.

Washington parental alienation — one parent influencing child against other parent — can lead to custody modification, contempt findings, sanctions, and reunification therapy. Difficult to prove but increasingly recognized.

Washington unmarried couples have NO automatic rights to property, support, or inheritance — cohabitation agreements + careful estate planning are the only protection. "Common-law marriage" is rare + specific.