Battle Ground, Washington

According to its official website, Battle Ground, Washington is a city built on memories of a conflict averted. The name’s origins begin in nearby Vancouver, Washington, a city with a long military tradition. In the years before the Civil War the army garrison at Fort Vancouver was away, leaving settlers feeling exposed to possible attacks from Native Americans, particularly the Klickitat tribe, many of whom had been forced by the settlers to live in a camp near the fort.

When the Indians abandoned their encampment and set off for the nearby Cascade Mountains the small group of soldiers still in the area chased them, expecting a battle to take place when the two groups met. They encountered one another near the site of modern Battle Ground, Washington. No major clash took place, though the Native American chief Umtuch was killed in circumstances that remain a subject of dispute. After giving him a proper funeral according to tribal traditions, the remainder of his party voluntarily returned to Fort Vancouver. This is how modern Washington comes to have a town named “Battle Ground” which contains no historic battle site. The modern city of Battle Ground was incorporated in 1951, and is now home to around 18,000 people. It is one of the many Oregon and Washington communities where Matthew D. Kaplan offers essential legal services via his law office at 50 SW Pine St #302 in Portland.

With a population of approximately 18,000, Battle Ground is a small town. Located in Washington’s Clark County the city has its own Municipal Court, located at 109 SW 1^st Street, but for many legal matters residents will find themselves dealing with the Clark County Superior Court and Clark County District Court, both located at 1200 Franklin Street in nearby Vancouver. As an attorney licensed to practice in both Washington and Oregon Matthew D. Kaplan is uniquely well-placed to address a wide range of legal needs facing residents of Battle Ground and surrounding communities.

Washington residents can take some comfort from the fact that the state’s roads are somewhat safer than the national average. According to data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the years 2006-2010 the state shows a consistently lower fatality rate than the country as a whole, even as fatality rates have fallen in recent years:

During a free initial consultation potential clients have the opportunity to discuss the particulars of their case directly with Matthew D. Kaplan. He believes it is important that anyone consulting an attorney be fully advised of all available options before deciding how, or whether, to proceed. Call Matthew D. Kaplan’s office at (503) 226-3844 to schedule an appointment.

The Law Office of Matthew D. Kaplan is conveniently located in downtown Portland at 50 SW Pine St. We look forward to welcoming you!