Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Washington Supreme Court to Hear Cases at Central Washington University May 5

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Washington Supreme Court will travel to Central Washington University on Thursday, May 5 to visit with students and teachers and hear appeals in three cases. The public is welcome to the oral arguments and the Q&A sessions that are held between cases.

The first case will be heard at 9 a.m. in Room 174 in the McIntyre Music Building.

The cases scheduled to be heard include:

• Case # 91494-0, Patricia Blackburn et. al. v Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Western State Hospital  —  Did Western State Hospital's staffing decision in response to a mentally ill patient's threats constitute employment discrimination on the basis of race in violation of the Washington Law Against Discrimination?
• Case # 91534-2, City of Snoqualmie v King County and Washington Department of Revenue — Whether a statute that exempts tribal property from tax but requires a payment in lieu of tax actually imposes a tax.
• (Starting at 1:30 p.m. following lunch break visit with students)  Case # 92593-3, State of Washington v Trey M. — Should Washington change its First Amendment "true threat" test from a reasonable-speaker test to a subjective-intent test?  

“It’s a great opportunity for our students on campus and our community at large to be able to witness the Washington State Supreme Court presiding over three cases,” said Michelle Cyrus, with the Center for Diversity and Social Justice at CWU. “You don’t usually have that opportunity.”

The state’s highest court is located in the Temple of Justice on the state capitol grounds in Olympia.  Since 1985, the Court has heard cases several times a year outside of Olympia to allow citizens to see the court in action in their local communities.

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

Immediately following arguments in the two cases, the justices will answer questions from the audience, then recess to conference on the cases. They will also answer questions after the last case of the day.

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 six months after oral arguments, though there can be great variation based on individual cases. For further information regarding the Court, visit the Washington Courts web site at www.courts.wa.gov .

# # #

Editor’s note:  For media planning to cover the event, please contact Wendy Ferrell at 360-705-5331, or Tim Schiewe, the Supreme Court bailiff at 360-357-2074 prior to the event.