Domestic Relations—Tentative Requirement of Disclosure and Independent Counsel for Marital Agreements—In re Marriage of Hadley, 88 Wn. 2d 649, 569 P.2d 790 (1977)

Authors

Bruce Judd

Abstract

Plaintiff husband and defendant wife executed three property status agreements during their marriage after discovering that the wife had multiple sclerosis. The couple's personal and business counsel drafted the agreements to minimize the wife's death and estate taxes. Before signing the agreements, the wife received advice from the family counsel and travelled to her husband's properties. In addition, the wife engaged another attorney to examine the agreements, but he declined to give her advice because she failed to provide him with necessary information. The husband obtained a dissolution decree embodying the agreements. On appeal, the Washington Supreme Court held (5-3) that the agreements were valid. In re Marriage of Hadley, 88 Wn. 2d 649, 565 P.2d 790 (1977).

First Page

763

Recommended Citation

Bruce Judd, Recent Developments, Domestic Relations—Tentative Requirement of Disclosure and Independent Counsel for Marital Agreements—In re Marriage of Hadley, 88 Wn. 2d 649, 569 P.2d 790 (1977), 53 Wash. L. Rev. 763 (1978).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wlr/vol53/iss4/9