Tag Archives: divorce

Divorce doesn't mean failure

Divorce doesn’t mean failure

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Divorce doesn’t mean failure. In fact, divorce may be the mark of a successful marriage concludes Shana Lebowitz in a story titled, “Divorce isn’t a failure, therapists say. In fact, it could mean the marriage was a success.” For the article, she interviewed several marriage therapists. Here are some quotes to consider.

“Your marriage has one goal,” Hal Runkel said. “Marriage has evolved into a people-growing machine.”

Runkel says that it highlights the areas where you need to grow and change. As Laura Markham puts it, disagreements are opportunities to “grow yourself.”

According to therapist Rachel Zamore satisfaction in relationships depend on our attitudes toward change. We need to embrace our experiences as opportunities for growth. Too often we rate experiences based solely on whether it makes us happy or not.

And sometimes you change to the point that you see your marriage differently and understand that it is time to leave. Even if you did not initiate the divorce, you will have a much better experience during and after divorce if you look at it with a learning and growing lens.

Your attitude to your marriage breakup will help you make sounder decisions

Continue reading →

Watch Our Family Law Video

Family Law Video Introduces Our Attorneys

Divorce and co-parenting are tough. For that reason, you need a tough, empathetic, experienced legal team to support you, guide you and get the best outcome for you and your family. Meet our Family Law attorneys in this video. In addition to divorce and child custody, our family law team handles adoptions, pre-nups, protective orders and more.

50+ Years Experience

David Jones

John Groseclose

Larry Lofgren

Call or Message for a Family Law Appointment in Port Orchard or Bainbridge Island

Contact us to meet with one of our Family Law attorneys today!

Based in Port Orchard, WA with a branch on Bainbridge Island, GSJones Law Group, P.S., represents Kitsap County residents in family law matters, as well as clients from throughout surrounding counties and communities. Among the communities are Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Silverdale, Seabeck, Belfair, Banner, Olalla, Poulsbo,  Bethel, Navy Yard City, Fernwood, Purdy. Clients also come from Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island, as well as surrounding areas in Mason County, and Jefferson County.

Welcome Larry Lofgren family law, bankruptcy attorney

Welcome Larry Lofgren

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We are proud to welcome Larry Lofgren as our newest Associate, focusing on family law and bankruptcy. GSJones Law Group is also excited to offer family law and bankruptcy clients a new Bainbridge Island location. Larry comes to us from a solo practice on Bainbridge Island. You can schedule appointments with Larry at either our main office in Port Orchard or on Bainbridge Island. With additional experience in estate planning law and real estate, he will also strengthen those teams at GSJones Law Group. Continue reading →

Larry Lofgren: Family Law Attorney

Larry Lofgren: Family Law

Larry Lofgren: 27 years providing personalized representation

Larry Lofgren has helped thousands of people get a fresh start in bankruptcy and guided many others through divorce, child custody and other family law matters. He speaks fluent Spanish, studying and teaching in Guatemala and Spain, and welcomes Spanish-speaking clients.

A breadth of practice, including solo practice, public interest & large law firms.

Larry’s goal as a lawyer has always been to help real people, not big institutions. He began as a public interest lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Chicago out of law school. Since then he worked at larger firms in Chicago and Seattle. He then opened his own small practice on Bainbridge Island prior to joining GSJones Law Group. His extensive experience in bankruptcy law includes Chapter 7, Chapter 13, business issues and litigating adversarial proceedings, including student loan discharge cases. He maintains licenses to practice law in both Washington and Illinois. In addition, he puts that goal of helping people into practice through volunteering for Kitsap Legal Services and King County Bar Association Legal Services. 

Larry will have office hours in both Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island. Call our main office at 360-876-9221 to make an appointment with him for either location.  

Born in Tacoma, the son of Bremerton natives, Larry Lofgren has deep roots in Western Washington and is delighted to be back home. Yet, he loves travel. After passing the bar exam, he spent the summer living with a Guatemalan family and studying Spanish in Quetzaltenango. Then, during his time in Chicago, he took a year off to teach English in Madrid. There he lived with Spanish and Latin American roommates. Living with them gave him deep Spanish language skills.

Larry and his teenage son live on Bainbridge Island. His many community activities include the local Rotary Club, the Beacon Food Forest, and Friends of Bainbridge Island Farms (board member). He and his son enjoy biking, traveling, backpacking, skiing and playing clarinet and saxophone.

Bar Admissions

Washington, 2003

Illinois, 1992

Education

Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, IL
J.D. – 1992

Make an appointment with Larry Lofgren for a consultation on any family law or bankruptcy matter.

Family law and bankruptcy appointments are available at our Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island offices.

Washington State Divorce faq

Washington State Divorce faqDivorce faq answers your basic questions about divorce.

We want you, as a client, to be well-informed about the divorce process in Washington State. It will help you to make the best decisions about your case. This divorce faq provides a basic outline so that you know what to expect. You will surely have more detailed questions about the process. Your attorney is happy to answer those questions.

What are the requirements for a divorce in Washington State?

All of the following must be true.

  • Be married legally or meet the requirements for common law marriage in another state or marriage laws in a country in which you lived. (Washington does not have common law marriage.)
  • One of you must have permanent residence in Washington State. The exception for service members is that the military spouse must be stationed here for at least 90 days after you file and serve your divorce paper.
  • The marriage can’t be fixed (“irretrievably broken” in legal speak).
  • File and serve the Summons and Divorce Petition, according to the rules.

How long does a divorce take?

At the earliest, an uncontested divorce may be final 90 days after filing. A contested divorce may take longer. Yet, in the interim, the court can issue temporary orders for such urgent issues as child support and spousal maintenance, if you request them.

Can my spouse prevent the divorce?

No.

If you meet all the requirements, the judge will grant the divorce. There are plenty of issues your spouse can argue that may anger you and cause delays. They cannot, however, prevent the divorce. A spouse who does not want a divorce will probably argue over how to divide your property and debts, alimony (known as spousal maintenance), child custody and visitation rights for any children and child support.

If your spouse fails to respond to your divorce petition within 20 days, the court may enter a default judgment in your favor. You will still need to wait the full 90 days for the divorce to be final. There is an exception if your spouse lives outside the state. In those cases, the spouse has 60 days to respond.

What can a court do as a part of the divorce?

  • Separate property and debts between you and your spouse, for all property located in this state.
  • Decide if maintenance (alimony) is needed and order payments.
  • Issue restraining orders or protection orders, if needed.
  • Order custody and visitation (parenting plan and residential plan) for any minor children, in most cases. The issue is more complex if you are new to the state or a parent lives in another state.
  • Set and order child support in most cases. Once again, the issue is more complex if you are new to this state and a parent lives in another state.
  • Grant legal name changes if requested.

Do I need a lawyer to get a divorce?

Not necessarily. It is always best, however, to hire an attorney if you can afford it. We have found that even spouses that initially think they agree find areas of disagreement during the process. Too often normally rational, even-tempered people become unreasonable as the many emotions that divorce evokes come up.

You may also have rights that you can only discover when you use an attorney.

It may be possible to handle your own divorce if you and your spouse are in absolute agreement about every issue of the divorce. Be sure to explore together every issue that might arise before deciding.

It is not advisable to handle your own divorce if you have:

  • Children.
  • Substantial property.
  • Any disagreements.
  • Property in other states.
  • A spouse who lives in another state or country.
  • Lived here a short time.

Consider consulting an attorney to review your divorce papers. The cost of an hour or two of consultation can save you much more both financially and emotionally.

Use the forms and instructions at the Washington Courts website. These forms are also helpful in deciding whether or not you need an attorney and in preparing to meet with your attorney. They give you a good idea of the questions she or he will ask you.

What are other options for ending a marriage in Washington State?

Legal Separation

Legal separations include property and debt divisions, as well as the same decisions about child support and parenting plans as a divorce. It does, however, not end your marriage. You cannot remarry. In addition, a separation does not affect Social Security benefits, and it may fail to affect other financial areas. It’s best to consult an attorney.

Annulment

Once a court issues an annulment, it’s as if the marriage never happened. At least one spouse must live in Washington or, if in the military, must be stationed here.

If the residency requirement is met an annulment is possible if one of these is true.

  • At least one spouse was too young to marry.
  • The spouses are related by blood.
  • At least one spouse was already married to someone else.
  • One spouse committed fraud or was fraudulent during the marriage.
  • One spouse was unable to consent at the time of marriage because of mental incapacity or the use of alcohol/drugs.

In the case of an underage or mentally incapacitated spouse, a guardian may file. In the case of bigamy, a child or other spouse may file. You may not get an annulment if you are a minor and continue to live with your spouse after the age of 18.

The more you have; the more paperwork you will do.

You must be prepared to fairly divide your property and to plan well for your new life. This requires gathering documents and knowing your financial information in detail. For instance, you need to gather deeds and titles, bank and credit account details, investment information, and information on furniture, art, and other personal property. In addition, you need to compile lists of current and future expenses.

Fidelity Investment has compiled a helpful checklist for gathering the documents needed for divorce.

If you decide you need a divorce attorney

Could one of our divorce lawyers be the right one for you?  Check out the page about our divorce practice.

Or go directly to the profile pages for:

Family Law Attorneys

Contact us directly to set up an appointment.

Based in Port Orchard, WA with a branch on Bainbridge Island, GSJones Law Group, P.S., represents Kitsap County residents, as well as clients from throughout surrounding counties and communities. Among the communities are Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Silverdale, Seabeck, Belfair, Banner, Olalla, Poulsbo,  Bethel, Navy Yard City, Fernwood, Purdy. Clients also come from Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island, as well as surrounding areas in Mason County, and Jefferson County.

Experienced Divorce Lawyers

Key goal of our divorce lawyers is your best outcome to get on with your life.

divorce lawyers

Divorce is one of the most stressful and emotionally wrenching experiences of your life. As a result, you want to make sure that your attorney has the experience and approach that you need to guide you through unfamiliar, rough waters. In their 90 years of experience, our divorce lawyers have seen it all. Most of all, they put that experience to work for you. Our primary goal is to help you reach the best outcome with the least amount of stress and emotional disturbance possible. We want you to get on with your life as easily and quickly as possible. On the other hand, we are well-prepared to handle high conflict divorces and complex property divisions.

We bring 5+ decades to guiding people through divorce.

  • Divorce and separation
  • Specialized parenting plans
  • Multistate divorce
  • Military divorce
  • Spousal maintenance/alimony
  • Alternative dispute resolution
  • Modifications of support or custody
  • Protection orders
  • Restraining orders
  • Property division
  • QDROs determining division of retirement accounts
  • Non-traditional dissolution of domestic partnership

Frequently asked questions

You probably have many questions about how divorce works so that you know what to expect. For a basic understanding of the process of divorce in Washington State check out our divorce faq. Knowledge is your best insurance for making good decisions.

Choose the divorce attorney that best suits you.

Our divorce lawyers work as a team, consulting one another’s expertise when necessary. To the team formed by two of our partners and an associate, we add other attorneys who are experienced in divorce but have other foci now. That means that if you have a family law emergency and your attorney is not available, there is always an experienced divorce lawyer with access to your files who can help you.

John Groseclose, personal injury, family law attorney David Jones Family Law Attorney

  • John Groseclose, Partner, also serves as a guardian ad litem, representing the interests of children.
  • David Jones, Managing Partner, has 25 years of family law experience in Kitsap County.
  • Larry Lofgren, with 25 years experience, he can meet with you at our Bainbridge Island location, as well as the main Port Orchard office

Based in Port Orchard, WA with a location on Bainbridge Island, GSJones Law Group, P.S., represents Kitsap County residents as well as clients from throughout surrounding counties and communities, including Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Silverdale, Seabeck, Belfair, Banner, Olalla, Poulsbo, Bethel, Navy Yard City, Fernwood, Purdy, Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island and surrounding areas in Mason County, and Jefferson County.

Make an appointment today with one of our divorce lawyers in Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island.

Call or message us for a consultation today.

You may find our blog post on books for divorce helpful.

books on divorce

Books on divorce

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A good divorce lawyer is essential; good books on divorce are vital

Divorce is tough. Our five divorce attorneys know that well. Nothing is more important than family and friends that can listen and offer practical support. On the other hand, there are many aspects of divorce where specific expertise can help. At GSJones Law Group we have five divorce lawyers who guide you steadily and empathetically through the legal process. We are not, however, child development experts. Or couples counselors, although we often can do a lot to help you and your spouse separate with less rancor.

Here are a few books on divorce that others who have gone through divorce found helpful.

Your emotions

You can choose from a vast number of books to help you deal with your emotions, both old and new. Here are a few to get you started.

Making the decision to divorce

Let’s start with a book to help you decide whether or not to divorce, Too Good to Leave to Bad to Stay, A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping You Decide Whether to Stay in or Get Out of Your Relationship, Mira Kirshenbaum. Use the 36 diagnostic questions to help you make the fateful decision. The author is the clinical director of Chestnut Hill Institute, a psychotherapy clinic that uses the latest research.

Another research-based book, What Makes Love Last?: How to Build Trust and Avoid Betrayal, John Gottman and Nan Silver, lays out the elements of lasting love and shows you how to identify signs, behaviors, and attitudes that indicate a fraying relationship. It also provides strategies for repairing what may seem lost or broken.

Books on divorce

In print for 35 years, you may want to start with this classic in its 35th-anniversary edition: Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends, Bruce Fisher, Robert Alberti, and Virginia Satir. It provides a 19-step process for rebuilding your life after divorce. From amazon.com: “…this book offers just the right balance of shoulder-to-cry-on and kick-in-the-pants self-help!”

The aptly named Crazy Time: Surviving Divorce and Building a New Life, Abigail Trafford,  helps you understand your experiences as you weather the turmoil. The latest edition contains the most up-to-date research on the personal and economic effects of divorce. The new edition also adds a section on becoming single again in the age of the Internet.

Spiritual Divorce: Divorce as a catalyst for an extraordinary life, Debbie Ford, offers Seven Spiritual Laws: acceptance, surrender, divine guidance, responsibility, choice, forgiveness and creation. Based in Jungian psychology, you may find this book most helpful if you use a 12-step program or are familiar with A Course in Miracles.

How to Survive the Loss of a Love, Peter McWilliams, Harold H. Bloomfield, & Melba Colgrove, has stood the test of time. It provides comfort and recommendations in an easy-to-read format.

Books on domestic violence and other high conflict divorces

Lundy Bancroft, who counsels abusive men, offers insight into the thinking and emotions of abusers in Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men. He also gives advice on how to safely escape from abusive relationships.

Personal accounts of divorce

Hollywood screenwriter Chris Easterly’s account of his divorce in Falling Forward: A Man’s Memoir of Divorce explores his emotional journey from discovering his wife’s affair to eventual healing. It helps affirm the fact that you will survive.

Another professional writer offers a women’s account in Split: A Memoir of Divorce by Suzanne Finnamore. Goodreads: “Prescriptive yet full of pragmatic advice, insight and black humor, Split is a finely wrought tourniquet for a broken union and its attendant trauma.”

Your children and divorce

Parents

The Co-Parents’ Handbook: Raising Well-Adjusted, Resilient, and Resourceful Kids in a Two-Home Family from Little Ones to Young Adults, Karen Bonnell, takes a how-to approach to guiding you and your ex-spouse through the challenges of co-parenting.

If co-parenting isn’t working, check out Joint Custody with a Jerk: Raising a Child with an Uncooperative Ex- A Hands-on, Practical Guide to Communicating with a Difficult Ex-Spouse, Julie Ross, M.A., & Julie Corcoran. It offers easy-to-use communication techniques for dealing with difficult exes in parenting.

When Dad Hurts Mom: Helping Your Children Heal the Wounds of Witnessing Abuse, Lundy Bancroft, provides advice for abused parents on protecting their children, as well as helping them heal and feel good about themselves. In addition, it provides tips about custody. 

Young children

It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear: A Read-Together Book for Parents and Young Children During Divorce, Vicki Lansky, is designed for children who have both parents active in their lives. In addition to a read aloud story, it also offers advice to parents on being a successful co-parent.

Two Homes, Claire Masurel is for very young children. Here’s a sample: “At Mommy’s house, Alex has a soft chair. At Daddy’s house, Alex has a rocking chair. In each home, Alex also has a special bedroom and lots of friends to play with.”

On the same topic as Two Homes for a slightly older child, Standing on My Own Two Feet: A Child’s Affirmation of Love in the Midst of Divorce, Tamara Schmitz

By the estimable Fred Rogers Let’s Talk About It: Divorce (Mr. Rogers) helps children through the third grade identify and talk about their feelings.

Tweens

It’s Not the End of the World by Judy Blume – a classic yet still relevant novel that follows 11-year-old Karen as her parents’ divorce.

Your spirits

Sixteenth on amazon.com’s list of most popular books on divorce is Revelations of Divine Love by the 14th-century Christian mystic Julian of Norwich. What could an old hermit know about going through a divorce? Why would she speak to the hearts of people going through one of the saddest, toughest periods of their lives? Well, it takes spiritual grounding to be strong and resilient. And nothing demands strength and resiliency like divorce.

Maybe 600-year-old Christian mysticism isn’t your cup of tea. How about modern Buddhist lovingkindness meditation? One of the foremost American Buddhist teachers, Sharon Salzberg, recently released a book, called Real Love. Real Love is a creative toolkit of mindfulness exercises and meditation techniques that help you to truly engage with your present experience and create deeper love relationships with yourself, friends and family, and with life itself.

Even older than Julian of Norwich is the Sufi poet Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī. His 800th birth anniversary was celebrated all over the world. While not a book on divorce, love is a frequent topic of his religious poetry. The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks, is a great way to start. It is full of both the ecstasy and the agony of human and spiritual love. Or perhaps, you want to steer away from love and concentrate on your own inner life. Rumi’s Little Book of Life might be just what you need.

Most Christian denominations have daily devotion guides. If you have not been using one, now might be a good time to start. Your pastor will be happy to help you find the right one.

If you’re looking for a good divorce lawyer in Port Orchard and Kitsap County, check out our Divorce and Family Law Attorney page.

David Jones: Family Law Attorney

David Jones: Family Law

26 years experience in Kitsap County

David Jones began practicing family law, including divorce and child custody cases in Kitsap County 26 years ago. In fact, all aspects of family law form the focus of his practice. For the last 18 years, he has worked exclusively in family law in Port Orchard. If you fear your family law case will go to trial, choose David Jones and his extensive trial experience and in-depth knowledge of how best to tailor his argument to the individual judges in the county. 

He also serves as a judge pro tem for the Kitsap County Superior Court. In this role, he puts his years of experience serving as a commissioner for settlement conferences to assist people to settle their issues.

David Jones helps people work out their differences and get on with their lives

Although David is in front of a judge an average of three days a week, in more than 90% of his cases, he helps people work out their differences and get on with their lives. He sees each case as unique and works to craft agreements that fit each distinctive situation. Whether it is necessary to litigate the case or possible to negotiate a settlement, David Jones will stand with you. He is outstanding in educating his clients on the law and coaching them through crises.  As a result, he assists you in making reasoned decisions in difficult times.

He has worked on some of the most difficult child custody issues in the county, including several trials on the relocation of children. David’s own two children form a touchstone when helping people through the child custody process.

David is an active member of the Port Orchard community. He is a member of the South Kitsap Rotary and was named Rotarian of the Year in 2013-2014, as well.

David is well-regarded in the legal community. He was voted best attorney in South Kitsap in 2011 and was runner-up in 2012. He currently assists other attorneys to gain family law knowledge by teaching continuing legal education seminars in Kitsap County.

Bar Admissions

Washington, 1993
U.S. District Court Western District of Washington

Education

University of Idaho College of Law, Moscow, Idaho
J.D. – 1991
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
B.A. – 1987
Major: Political Science

Honors and Awards

Voted Best Attorney in South Kitsap, 2011 

Past Employment Positions

Law Offices of David W. Jones, Solo Practitioner, 1993 – 2001

 

Make an appointment with David for a consultation on any family law matter.

Family law appointments are available at our Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island offices.

Family Law Attorneys

Family law attorneys

Family law attorneys easily handle emergency motions and complex cases

Whether you are consulting on divorce issues, child custody issues, or other family law issues our attorneys stand ready to listen to you carefully. As a result, they base their legal guidance on your individual needs and desires. They provide legal guidance and support when you need it throughout the process.

In addition, they have the experience and depth to handle emergency motions and the most complex cases with ease. Although there are several excellent family law attorneys on Kitsap Peninsula, our team provides the depth they lack. We have the backup when your lawyer has a personal emergency. Due to teamwork, we seamlessly take care of your case. You don’t have to worry if you have an emergency during your own lawyer’s vacation. Most of all, we’re there for you. One of our partners is also available by mobile after hours for custody emergencies: 253-381-6395.

GSJones Law family attorneys are flexible with five decades of experience.

Your family is unique. Do you and your spouse agree on how to divide your property? How about co-parenting your children? If so, we can help you expedite a divorce. We can create a cost-sensitive plan that is tailored to your circumstances.

Do you and your spouse have different ideas about child custody and visitation? How about expectations and beliefs about child custody and visitation? Are there disagreements about how to divide your property? Our experienced attorneys can guide you in reaching the best result whatever your disagreements.

On the other hand, we bring strong advocacy throughout a contested divorce with all its many challenges. In addition, our family law attorneys have extensive experience in helping you settle contentious matters with the least upset and move on with your life.

Our lawyers have the background and extensive experience to deal effectively with the most difficult child custody situations. As an example, both John Groseclose and Larry Lofgren serve as guardians ad litem. In addition, David Jones served for many years as commissioner for settlement conferences. Due to these experiences, our attorneys combine sensitivity with practical and legal knowledge. As a result, the can best support your family and get the very best outcome.

Our family law attorneys offer a full range of family law services.

  • Child custody
  • Specialized parenting plans
  • Multistate issues and relocation
  • Grandparents’ visitation and custody
  • Child support
  • Divorce and separation
  • Spousal maintenance/alimony
  • Alternative dispute resolution
  • Modifications of support or custody
  • Military divorce
  • Protection orders
  • Restraining orders
  • Paternity
  • Non-parental custody
  • Property division in divorce
  • QDROs determining division of retirement accounts
  • Non-traditional dissolution of domestic partnerships
  • Prenuptial agreements
  • Adoption
  • Cohabitation agreements
  • Family law appeals
  • Visitation

Frequently asked questions

You probably have many questions about how family law works so that you know what to expect. For a basic understanding of the process of divorce in Washington State check out our divorce faq. Knowledge is your best insurance for making good decisions.

Experienced Port Orchard family law attorneys

In addition to two of our partners who focus on divorce and child custody law, an associate focuses on family law. As a back up we have a fourth attorney with extensive family law experience, yet other areas of focus.

David Jones

John Groseclose

Larry Lofgren

 

Call or message for an appointment with one of our family law attorneys in Port Orchard or Bainbridge Island

Call or message us for help with your family law issue today!

Based in Port Orchard, WA with a branch on Bainbridge Island, GSJones Law Group, P.S., represents Kitsap County residents, as well as clients from throughout surrounding counties and communities. Among the communities are Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Silverdale, Seabeck, Belfair, Banner, Olalla, Poulsbo,  Bethel, Navy Yard City, Fernwood, Purdy. Clients also come from Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island, as well as surrounding areas in Mason County, and Jefferson County.

GSJones Law Group, P.S.

COVID-19 Update: Call 360-876-9221 for phone and video appointments; in-person appointments are suspended. PLUS Special phone consults with our employment attorney. For more resources and information, check out our COVID-19 blog posts 

 Who We Are

GSJones Law Group, P.S., the law firm that meets all your legal needs.

7 lawyers                    150 years experience

The GS Jones Law Group, P.S.

A team approach with a 360° look at your legal concerns

 

Stressful Family Times?

Divorce, custody, adoption, separation plus interstate family law, domestic violence emergency orders.
Our family law attorneys will guide you to meet your needs with the least distress possible. As a result, you can move on with your life.

Think Estate Planning is only for the wealthy and elderly?

Our Estate Planning lawyers work with many ages and income levels.
We help you protect your family through all the surprises that life and death can bring. For example, some areas include Living Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, and Charitable Gifting Strategies. We help you find just the right instruments for you. In addition, we guide probate administrators.

Have a business or want to start one? 

Our business attorneys is here to help you every step of the way.
Beginning with your business formation and tax setup, we guide you as you set your business on a safer and firmer footing. We draft basic contracts and forms. In addition, we review or draft personnel manuals and policies. We make startups easier and keep you on a winning path. Later, we can routinely review your contracts, bring an expert eye to a personnel issue. Eventually, we can review your original business and tax decisions. As a result, you may determine changes that will make you more profitable.

Injured?

Our experienced personal injury attorney will fight for you
We stand ready to guide you through the process and fight fiercely for what you need. Call us for a free case evaluation.

Need help with tax penalties, traffic or criminal charges?

You won’t find more effective representation than our tax attorney (25+ years dealing with IRS) or our criminal defense attorney (former prosecutor).

Life is not always simple. Your legal needs may be complex. Our lawyers work together to meet whatever life throws at you.

Our experience and regular practices encompass 15 major areas of law. Due to this diversity of experience, we can view your case from many angles. A divorce or custody matter may involve changing a trust. One of our estate planning attorneys can work with your family law attorney. Or work on a Visa may require experience in transnational adoption to advise our immigration attorney. 

GSJones Law Group Partners

Our Partners, David Jones, Norman Short and John Groseclose,
bring 60 years experience in
personal injury, family law, tax, business and estate planning law

Clients  appreciate the GSJones Law Group team approach

Your legal concerns are of great significance. Critically important issues may include

  • property loss
  • large sums of money
  • jail versus freedom
  • strengthening or weakening of family ties
  • debt oppression versus debt relief
  • health or demise of a business
  • approved or denied immigration status
  • timely versus delayed administration of an estate.

Notably, our extensive trial experience is a critical asset for our clients. However, the vast majority of our clients’ goals are accomplished without a need to go to trial. When it becomes necessary, we are prepared — and we work hard to ensure that our clients are prepared as well. We guide you through some of your most challenging times and help you plan for a better future. We are experienced in your world – the world we find in Kitsap County of families, work and small businesses.

Clients appreciate our commitment to our community

Because we are longtime members of Kitsap County, our lawyers and staff are active members in many and varied ways in our communities. We work to ensure that folks here have access to the courts regardless of their means. In 2019 the Kitsap Bar Association recognized the 400 hours of volunteer services our lawyers and other staff provided in 2018 with the Humanitarian Award. Many serve on the board and as volunteers with Kitsap Legal Services.  Recently, one partner began working with non-profits that help immigrant children with legal needs. In addition, our criminal law attorney takes court appointments. Two of our partners serve the legal community through serving as Judge Pro Tem, commissioner for settlement conferences, Continuing Legal Education leaders, and guardian ad litem. Some are also active in the community services Rotary Clubs provide.

From church choirs that perform at prisons to organizing popular marathons and working for food availability our lawyers and staff volunteer work to make significant differences in Kitsap communities.

Contact GSJones Law Group with offices in Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island

Call or message us to schedule an initial consultation. Located in Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island, we provide full service to Kitsap County and surrounding communities including Bremerton, Silverdale,  Seabeck, Gig Harbor, and the area Naval facilities.

We specialize in you.