Washington Courts: News and Information

Washington Supreme Court Will Visit Sunnyside High School May 15-16 to Engage with Students, Hear Cases

The Washington Supreme Court will visit Sunnyside High School on May 15-16, where they will visit classrooms, have lunch with students and faculty, answer questions from the public and hear two oral arguments on May 16 starting at 9 a.m.

The visit is part of a travelling court outreach program in which justices travel to two or three communities around Washington each year to hear real cases and talk with community members about the judicial branch. The justices most recently visited the University of Puget Sound in September of 2023 and the University of Washington in January.

Justice G. Helen Whitener, co-chair of the Traveling Court Committee, explained why it’s just as important to visit more rural communities such as Sunnyside, in addition to major hubs such as Seattle and Tacoma.

“The Supreme Court is a court for everybody within the state of Washington and not just folks in Olympia, Pierce County or King County,” Whitener said. “So, it's important that we go out into the communities that don't have easy access to us as far as logistics, and let them know that we are there, what we do, and try and inspire the young ones to the legal profession and have them see their courts working for them.”

The nine Supreme Court Justices will hear oral arguments for the following cases. Directly following the arguments, the Justices will hold a Q and A segment with the audience.

9 a.m. Case No. 102401-1, In re the Marriage of Wilcox: Whether an award of maintenance in a marriage dissolution is proper without finding that the receiving spouse has a need for it.

10 a.m. Case No. 102402-9, State v. Smith: Whether in this criminal prosecution the trial court erred in declining to excuse a prospective juror for cause after the juror evidenced confusion about the presumption of innocence and indicated that the juror may agree with the rest of the jurors if undecided.

All Washington Supreme Court oral arguments are open to the public, and are livestreamed and recorded by Washington’s Public Affairs network, TVW. Though cameras and video recorders are generally allowed, the Court asks that no flash, other lights or noisy mechanisms be used during the hearings.

For more information on members and the operations of the state Supreme Court and other Washington courts, visit https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts.

CONTACT: Patric Haerle, Communications Officer, Administrative Office of the Courts, Patric.Haerle@courts.wa.gov.