Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Public welcome as Washington Court of Appeals, Div. III hears cases in Wenatchee on Dec. 6th

The Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III, will hear oral arguments outside of its Spokane courtroom during a community visit to the Chelan County Courthouse in Wenatchee on Tuesday, Dec. 6. The three cases to be heard respectively involve payment to extend utility lines to land purchased for development, appeal of a child rape conviction, and appeal of a drug conviction based on search and seizure issues.

The public is welcome to attend the oral arguments which begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Chelan County Courthouse, 401 Washington St, Floor 5, Wenatchee, WA 98801.

“We look forward to visiting Wenatchee 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 and Clerk of the Chelan County Superior Court for hosting us in Wenatchee.”

Beginning at 1:30 p.m., Court of Appeals Chief Judge George B. Fearing, Acting Chief Judge Robert E. Lawrence-Berrey, and Judge Rebecca L. Pennell will hear oral arguments in the following cases:

• Michael L. Darland v. Snoqualmie Pass Utility District — Appeal of the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a land developer as to whether the developer or the utility district must pay to extend sewer and water lines to the boundary of the developer’s property near Snoqualmie Pass.
• State of Washington v. Roy E. Cooley — Appeal of a conviction for first degree rape of a child, wherein the appellant contends the trial court improperly admitted evidence, the prosecutor engaged in misconduct, and his trial counsel was ineffective.
• State of Washington v. Joel Matthew Groves — Appeal of convictions for possession of controlled substance with intent to deliver, wherein the appellant argues law enforcement engaged in an unconstitutional search and seizure.

Full case summaries are available online at Division III Issue Summaries. 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 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.

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/

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