Washington State Courts - Washington Court News

Search | Site Map |

eService Center

Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

State Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument on Three Cases at Highline Community College This Week

April 30, 2008

The Washington Supreme Court’s nine justices will lunch with students, speak to classes regarding legal careers and hear arguments on real cases in a community visit to Highline Community College on Tuesday, May 6.

The state’s highest court is located in Olympia in the Temple of Justice on the state capitol grounds. Since 1985, the Court has heard cases “on the road” three times a year in an outreach effort allowing citizens to see the court in action in their local communities.

“The Court really enjoys visiting local communities like Des Moines,” says Chief Justice Gerry Alexander. “In addition to connecting with students, it allows anyone interested in learning more about the judicial branch of government to see the workings of the highest court up close and personal.”

All Washington Supreme Court oral arguments are open to the public, and are broadcasted at a later date via Washington’s Public Affairs network, TVW.

Beginning at 9 a.m., Chief Justice Gerry Alexander and Justices Charles W. Johnson, Barbara A. Madsen, Richard B. Sanders, Tom Chambers, Susan Owens, Mary Fairhurst, James M. Johnson and Debra Stephens will hear the following arguments on the following cases:

Case No. 80532-6, Rental Housing Ass’n of Puget Sound (appellant) v. City of Des Moines (respondent) Whether a city’s initial denial of a public disclosure request, specifying the file being withheld, briefly describing the types of documents in the file, and citing the statutory exemption claimed to apply, triggered the one-year statute of limitations on judicial review of the city’s action.
Case No. 81067-2, City of Tukwila (petitioner) v. Garrett (respondent) Whether the Tukwila Municipal Court validly selects prospective jurors from zip codes that are roughly contiguous with city borders, even if some prospective jurors are not residents of the city.
Case No. 80041-3, State (respondent) v. Puapuaga (petitioner) Whether the State properly seized by ex parte order a hospitalized criminal defendant’s personal property claimed to contain discovery materials, and if so, whether the trial court properly appointed a special master to review the materials in camera.

Immediately following arguments in the two cases, the justices will answer questions from the audience, then recess to conference on the cases until 12:30 p.m. Justices will then enjoy a lunch with faculty and members of the student body, and reconvene at 1:30 p.m. to hear the last case of the day, State v. Puapuaga.

Though cameras and video recorders are generally allowed, the Court asks that no flash, other lights or noisy film advance mechanisms be used during the hearings. Only one television camera will be allowed to film the oral arguments; other TV stations are asked to pool coverage.

Written opinions are rendered approximately three to six months after oral arguments. For further information regarding the Court, visit the Washington Courts web site at www.courts.wa.gov.

Washington Courts Media Contacts:

Wendy K. Ferrell
Judicial Communications Manager
360.705.5331
e-mail Wendy.Ferrell@courts.wa.gov Lorrie Thompson
Communications Officer
360.705.5347
Lorrie.Thompson@courts.wa.gov