Washington Courts: News and Information

Public welcome as Washington Court of Appeals, Div. III hears cases in Walla Walla on Oct. 19

The Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III, will hear oral arguments outside of its regular Spokane courtroom during a community visit to Walla Walla University on Thursday, October 19.

The hearings will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 207 S College Ave., College Place. The public is welcome to attend the oral arguments and, at the end of the session, ask questions about the role and operations of the Court of Appeals.

The Court of Appeals Division III is headquartered in Spokane and hears appeals of case outcomes from trial courts throughout the Eastern Washington counties of Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Adams, Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Walla Walla, Whitman, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima.

“We look forward to conducting hearings in Walla Walla in order to render the court more accessible to the public, and we welcome the opportunity to conduct court in an academic setting to accommodate student attendance,” Division III Chief Judge George Fearing said.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m., Chief Judge George B. Fearing, Judge Laurel H. Siddoway and Judge Rebecca L. Pennell will hear arguments in the following four cases:
 

• Kittitas County v. Sky Allphin (Kittitas County) —challenge of the Department of Ecology’s (DOE’s) handling of public records requests
   
• City of Union Gap v. Printing Press Properties, LLC (Yakima County) —dispute involving the constructing of a right-of-way.
   
• In re Marriage of Sheila Kay Peterson and Melissa Jade Peterson (Walla Walla County) —dispute regarding a parenting plan.

• State v. Francisco J. Resendez Miranda (Benton County) —appeal of aggravated first degree murder charges. 
   

Full case summaries are available online at Division III--Issue Summaries. Each argument will last approximately 30 minutes.

The Court occasionally hears oral arguments in various eastern Washington cities outside of its Spokane headquarters in an effort to allow more members of the public to attend arguments and learn about the court and judicial branch.

For further information regarding the Court, visit the Washington Courts Web site at http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/ .    

CONTACT:  Court of Appeals Div. III Clerk Renee Townsley, (509) 456-3082, Renee.Townsley@courts.wa.gov.