Scott Matthews
Law Office of Scott K. Matthews PLLC
Vancouver, Washington 98660
About Scott Matthews
I grew up in Eastern Oregon and spent a nice childhood building fences, riding horses, and playing the trumpet before heading to Washington DC for college, where I majored in Physics. After graduation I spent a year in Alaska teaching computer programming, then returned DC where I earned my Ph.D. in experimental nuclear physics. I spent the next five years working for a university group which was building a very large detector system at a Department of Energy laboratory in Virginia, then came to Vancouver, Washington and got a job as a research associate at the Oregon Hearing Research Center which is located at OHSU in Portland. I left that job to go to law school at Lewis and Clark in Portland and started a solo practice in Vancouver in 2010.
I have a daughter in college. The rest of my family is scattered around Oregon, Washington, and Georgia.
I have a varied civil practice, working in Landlord/Tenant, Elder, Contracts, Consumer Protection, and Family law. I enjoy helping people navigate the legal system, which can be confusing and harsh to those without training in the law. I practice mostly in Clark County, but I accept cases in the Pacific, Wahkiakum, Samania, and Klickitat counties as well.
Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Landlord/Tenant
- Elder Law
- Construction Disputes
Family law includes Divorce, Separation, Parentage, Child Support, Protection Orders, Modifications, Relocations and all the other conflicts that arise when people live together. It includes relationships where the parties were never married and same-sex relationships, with or without marriage. The solutions run from simple agreements where the parties never appear in court to full-blown trials where the court divides property and businesses, decrees parenting plans and sets child support and maintenance. Because the parties, and any children, have to live with the results, I start out with my clients carefully going over what they want and need, explaining how the law applies in their case, and mapping out a strategy to get them thought the proceedings and on with their lives.
Detailed statutory regimes govern leasing agreements and disputes in Washington. A tenant or landlord can lose important rights by not following the timing and procedures the law requires. Most residential disputes do not involve enough money to be worth a lawsuit; a negotiated settlement is generally in both parties’ interests. I represent both tenants and landlords in SW Washington, and I believe that my experience gives me insights into both parties’ needs and outlooks that lead to quicker and more equitable settlements.
Although powers of attorney, vulnerable adult protection, and guardianships often come together with an older client, these services are valuable and needed by people of all ages. I can help clients in hospitals and nursing homes, those who want to be prepared before decisions ever need to be made, or parties such as family members who are trying to protect the rights, finances, or persons of friends or family members.
Construction disputes can arise between homeowners acting as their own contractors and their subcontractors, between general contractors and subs, or in combinations. Contractors and subs may file liens against owners, and owners may press suits against contractors and their bonds. Each of these actions requires certain steps to be followed, and each has timing requirements that must be met. My experience in engineering and construction helps me understand your situation and come up with the best strategy for getting your project fixed or back on track.
Awards
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Contact Scott Matthews
(360) 606-9302
710 W Evergreen Blvd.
Vancouver, Washington 98660
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