Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III, to hear local cases in Pasco on September 7th; public welcome

Division Three of the Washington State Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments outside its Spokane courtroom during a community visit to the Franklin County Courthouse in Pasco, on Wednesday, September 7th, beginning at 10:30 am. in courtroom No. 3.  The court will hear appeals from a Yakima County case and a Franklin County case. 

The public is welcome to attend these oral arguments. The Franklin County Courthouse is located at 1016 N. 4^th Ave., Pasco, WA

“We look forward to visiting Pasco and welcome members of the public to join us,” said Chief Judge George B. Fearing.  “We intend to visit other communities in eastern Washington in the following months as we make the court more accessible to the parties and their counsel. Court community visits are a wonderful way for the public to learn more about the judicial branch of government up close, and we thank the judges of the Benton-Franklin County Superior court for hosting us in Pasco.” 

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., Court of Appeals Chief Judge George B. Fearing, Judge Kevin M. Korsmo, and Judge Laurel H. Siddoway will hear oral arguments in the following local cases:

• Verda Lee Crosswhite v. Washington State Dept. of Social & Health Services — Appeal of a finding of mental abuse by a care provider toward a vulnerable adult.
• Judith Q. Chavez, et al v. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, et al — Appeal of a trial court’s decision to deny class certification in a lawsuit by nurses against Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital (Lourdes) in Pasco, Washington regarding rest periods, meal periods and wages.

Full case summaries are available online at http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/?fa=atc.displayPage&folder=div3&theFile=issueSummariesIndex for further details. Each argument will last approximately 30 minutes.  After the oral arguments, the court will entertain questions from the public about the role and function of the Court of Appeals.  

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

The Court recently reinstituted the practice of occasionally hearing oral arguments in various eastern Washington cities outside of its Spokane headquarters, and welcomes the public to attend hearings and learn more about the court.   

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