Washington

Escrow officer accused of transferring nearly $2M to scammer gives up license as limited practice officer

An escrow officer in Washington has given up her certification as a limited practice officer after she was accused of wiring nearly $2 million in client escrow funds to a scammer.

Mar 10, 2022 11:03 AM CST

Animal cruelty can qualify as domestic violence, state supreme court says

An animal cruelty conviction for beating and killing an intimate partner’s dog can qualify for a domestic violence designation under Washington law, the Washington Supreme Court has ruled.

Feb 23, 2022 9:18 AM CST

Supreme Court will hear case of praying football coach

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear the case of a high school football coach who lost his job after defying the school district’s orders to stop praying with students at the 50-yard line after games.

Jan 18, 2022 2:10 PM CST

Some states seek to eliminate racial bias in jury selection with peremptory-challenge changes

Some states are changing the rules for peremptory challenges—and in one case, eliminating them altogether—in an effort to eliminate racial bias in jury selection.

Dec 22, 2021 3:32 PM CST

Weekly Briefs: New charges against lawyer accused of staging his shooting; Christian florist settles

Suspended lawyer Alex Murdaugh faces new charges Suspended South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh, previously charged in an alleged scheme to have himself killed for insurance money, is facing 27 new charges as the result of five indictments by a South Carolina state grand jury. The indictments allege that Murdaugh stole…

Nov 19, 2021 4:14 PM CST

Supreme Court will decide whether innkeeper can sue border agent for First Amendment damages

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether the owner of a bed and breakfast establishment called the Smugglers Inn can sue a border patrol agent for damages under the First and Fourth Amendments.

Nov 8, 2021 11:06 AM CST

Gender affects access to courts and treatment in the justice system, Washington state study says

Gender affects the treatment of people in Washington state’s court system, particularly the treatment of women of color, LGBTQ people and women in poverty, according to a report released on Thursday. “Gender matters—it does affect the treatment of court users (including litigants, lawyers, witnesses, jurors and employees),” says a report…

Sep 17, 2021 12:39 PM CDT

9th Circuit orders lower court to review decision over accessibility at baseball stadium

A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled in favor of plaintiffs who alleged that spectators using wheelchairs at T-Mobile Park, the home of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team, had inadequate sightlines under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sep 3, 2021 9:14 AM CDT

Biden nominates first openly LGBTQ woman to a federal appeals court

President Joe Biden’s sixth round of judicial nominees includes a Vermont Supreme Court justice who would be the first openly LGBTQ woman to serve on a federal appeals court.

Aug 5, 2021 11:50 AM CDT

Biden’s initial US attorney picks include historic firsts

President Joe Biden and his administration on Monday nominated eight lawyers to lead U.S. attorney’s offices, most of whom would be the first Black or female prosecutors to lead their districts.

Jul 27, 2021 12:48 PM CDT

How one law firm plans to embrace remote work—even after reopening its offices

Even with the firm having announced an official reopening date of Sept. 9 for its five offices across California and Washington, Klinedinst’s leaders do not expect to see a flood of colleagues returning to the workplace.

Jul 8, 2021 12:02 PM CDT

Several minutes into 9th Circuit online hearing, lawyer realizes he’s arguing the wrong case

Social Security claimants lawyer Chad Hatfield didn’t realize his goof until several minutes into an argument last Monday before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco.

Jun 14, 2021 12:33 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge compares AR-15 to Swiss Army knife; suit claims GC wasn’t rehired because of long-haul COVID-19

Federal judge strikes down ban on assault weapons Citing the Second Amendment, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of the Southern District of California struck down California’s ban on assault weapons Friday. “Like the Swiss Army knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland…

Jun 7, 2021 4:03 PM CDT

Amazon drops arbitration requirement after facing over 75,000 demands

Many companies require their employees and customers to resolve disputes through arbitration rather than in the courtroom. Now, Amazon is no longer one of them.

Jun 2, 2021 11:45 AM CDT

Lawyer gets 5-year suspension for firing gun into colleague’s law office

A lawyer who practices in Portland, Oregon, has received a five-year suspension for firing six bullets into the law office of a colleague, narrowly missing the law firm manager who was in the building.

Apr 27, 2021 12:08 PM CDT