Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Washington Court of Appeals to Hear Appeals in Vancouver January 21, Public Welcome

The Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, will hear oral arguments outside of its regular Tacoma courtroom during a community visit to Clark County on Tuesday, January 21st. The public is welcome to view the arguments and to ask questions not related to the cases after the arguments.

The hearings will begin at 9 a.m. in the Clark County Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, 98660, in the hearing room on the sixth floor.

“We believe travel adds transparency to how the Court of Appeals works and demystifies the role of the courts,” said Court of Appeals Division II Judge Rich Melnick. “We also pick cases from the area to which we travel to make it easier for interested parties and people to come to the oral arguments and observe what occurs. This access to justice also adds to the transparency of the court.”

The Court travels outside of Tacoma to Southwest Washington at least twice a year to allow interested people who otherwise would have difficulty attending court hearings an opportunity to view the Court of Appeals in action.

Oral arguments include 15 minutes of arguments for each side of an appeals case. Beginning at 9 a.m. a panel comprised of Judges Bradley Maxa, Lisa Sutton and Rich Melnick will hear arguments in the following cases:

1. State v. Burke, 51979-8 —  Appeals juvenile court orders denying petitions filed in three separate juvenile court cases to restore petitioner’s right to own or possess a firearm, filed when he was 32 years of age.
2. Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview, LLC, et al v. Department of Ecology, et al, 52215-2 — Appeal from denial of permits to help build coal export terminal in Cowlitz County.
3. Estate of Brost, Douglas, et al v. Brost, 53701-0 — Probate case from Lewis County.  

The docket for these cases can be found at http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/appellatedockets/index.cfm?fa=appellatedockets.showDocket&folder=a02&year=2020&file=20200121

The Court of Appeals Division II is headquartered in Tacoma and hears appeals of cases from the superior courts in Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Skamania, Wahkiakum, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Thurston and Pierce counties. The Court has the authority to overrule, remand, modify, or affirm decisions of the trial courts. The Court generally hears oral arguments on appeals cases at its courthouse in Tacoma, but travels when possible to hear arguments in other locations to give members of the public in those areas easier availability to attend arguments.

For information regarding the Court of Appeals and other levels of court, visit the Washington Courts website at http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/.

CONTACT: Judge Rich Melnick, 253-593-2974