The Benton Franklin Bar’s Legal Aid Society recently honored the attorneys who provided nearly 1,200 hours of volunteer time to help thousands of low-income Mid-Columbians with legal issues. U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza Jr. spoke about the need for professional representation in both state and federal court during the society’s annual Attorney Appreciation luncheon.…

Franklin County prosecutor2020 president of Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys Number of employees you oversee: 26 Brief background of what the Prosecuting Attorney’s office does: The prosecutor’s office handles all legal matters for Franklin County. This includes criminal prosecution for all felony crimes occurring within Franklin County, as well as misdemeanor crimes occurring outside of…

By Patrick Jones One of the startling aspects of the greater Tri-City economy is the juxtaposition of a large agricultural sector with one formerly called the white-collar sector. In the terminology of labor economists, the latter consists of professional and technical services. It, too, looms large in the two counties. Today, we might call the…

Each year about 4,000 people reach out to the Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society for legal assistance. And each year Tri-City area attorneys donate their time to help those they can. The nonprofit society recently held its annual awards luncheon to recognize attorneys who significantly contributed to the organization’s efforts to find pro bono legal representation…

Despite a higher state school tax levy in 2018, families in Eastern Washington may see some relief on their property tax bill this year. That’s because the state collected more than it anticipated, and to alleviate the tax burden for 2019, the state rate of $2.70 per $1,000 of assessed property value will drop to…

By Alex Johnson As a DUI defense attorney here in the Tri-Cities, I often get questions about this area of law. Here are short answers to frequently asked questions about driving under the influence. What is the “legal limit” for a DUI? When I’m asked this question, it is usually pertaining to alcohol-based DUIs. The…

Although business owners were anxious to see how the tax code overhaul affected their bottom line in 2018, many are scratching their heads as regulations fall into place. “I’ve put in enough hours at this point it feels as though I’m getting ready to take another CPA exam,” said Ty Schatz, a certified public accountant…

By Beau Ruff At death, there is a little-known tax benefit that the federal government provides. It is an adjustment to tax basis and it can have a profound effect on the taxation of the assets owned at death. This column discusses two kinds of taxes that apply at death: the estate tax and the…

As 2018 ushers in changes to the United States tax code, many Tri-City business leaders are trying to wrap their head around what it means and how it will affect their companies. The bill was signed by President Trump just before Christmas and is the first major change to the tax code since former President…

Tri-City tax professionals are boning up on the new tax code as they prepare for the start of the 2017 tax filing season. Signed into law just before the end of the year, the changes mark the first major reform of the tax code since the mid 1980s. It won’t take effect until 2018 taxes…