Washington Case Commentaries

In re Personal Restraint of Sione P. Lui: Upholding High Standards for Ineffective Assistance and Prosecutorial Misconduct Claims

Date: Jun 23, 2017

In re Personal Restraint of Sione P. Lui: Upholding High Standards for Ineffective Assistance and Prosecutorial Misconduct Claims Introduction The case of In re the Personal Restraint of Sione P. Lui...

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel under the Persistent Offender Accountability Act: State v. Kevin Lee Estes

Date: Jun 9, 2017

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel under the Persistent Offender Accountability Act: State v. Kevin Lee Estes Introduction In the landmark case of State of Washington v. Kevin Lee Estes, the Supreme...

Washington Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence Despite Intellectual Disability Claims

Date: May 19, 2017

Washington Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence Despite Intellectual Disability Claims Introduction In the landmark case of In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Cecil Emile Davis, Petitioner...

Jury Unanimity in Alternative Means Cases: Analysis of State v. Dennis Earl Armstrong

Date: May 12, 2017

Jury Unanimity in Alternative Means Cases: Analysis of State v. Dennis Earl Armstrong Introduction State of Washington v. Dennis Earl Armstrong (2017) is a pivotal case adjudicated by the Supreme...

State v. Arredondo: Affirmation of ER 404(b) Evidence Admissibility and Cross-Examination Limitations

Date: May 5, 2017

State v. Arredondo: Affirmation of ER 404(b) Evidence Admissibility and Cross-Examination Limitations Introduction In State of Washington v. Fabian Arredondo, the Supreme Court of Washington...

Affirming Judicial Discretion in Juvenile Sentencing in Adult Courts: State v. Houston-Sconiers

Date: Mar 3, 2017

Affirming Judicial Discretion in Juvenile Sentencing in Adult Courts: State v. Houston-Sconiers Introduction In the landmark case State of Washington v. Zyion Houston-Sconiers, Petitioner, the...

Exclusion of Expert Testimony in Absence of Pleaded Diminished Capacity: Washington v. Clark

Date: Feb 3, 2017

Exclusion of Expert Testimony in Absence of Pleaded Diminished Capacity: Washington v. Clark Introduction In State of Washington v. Anthony Tyrone Clark, the Supreme Court of Washington addressed the...

Ramos v. State: Extending Miller Hearing Requirements to De Facto Life Without Parole Sentences for Juvenile Homicide Offenders

Date: Jan 13, 2017

Ramos v. State: Extending Miller Hearing Requirements to De Facto Life Without Parole Sentences for Juvenile Homicide Offenders Introduction Ramos v. State is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court...

Enhancing Tenant Protections: Seattle Supreme Court Upholds Tenant's Right to Challenge Eviction Causes under JCEO

Date: Dec 23, 2016

Enhancing Tenant Protections: Seattle Supreme Court Upholds Tenant's Right to Challenge Eviction Causes under JCEO Introduction This commentary examines the landmark decision in Stephen Faciszewski...

Facial Validity of Sentences and Limitations on Retroactivity: A Comprehensive Commentary on Flippo v. Washington

Date: Dec 9, 2016

Facial Validity of Sentences and Limitations on Retroactivity: A Comprehensive Commentary on Flippo v. Washington Introduction In the landmark case of In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Earl...

Stipulation Sufficiency in Felony No-Contact Order Violations: Washington Supreme Court Sets Precedent

Date: Dec 9, 2016

Stipulation Sufficiency in Felony No-Contact Order Violations: Washington Supreme Court Sets Precedent Introduction In State of Washington v. Kevin Ray Case, 384 P.3d 1140 (Wash. 2016), the Supreme...

Termination of Parental Rights Due to Lack of Attachment: In the Matter of the Parental Rights to K.M.M.

Date: Sep 9, 2016

Termination of Parental Rights Due to Lack of Attachment: In the Matter of the Parental Rights to K.M.M. Introduction The case of In the Matter of the Parental Rights to K.M.M. (186 Wash. 2d 466)...

Distinct Statutory Intents Preclude 'Same Criminal Conduct' Classification in Rape of a Child and Incest Cases

Date: Mar 18, 2016

Distinct Statutory Intents Preclude 'Same Criminal Conduct' Classification in Rape of a Child and Incest Cases Introduction STATE of Washington v. Chad Curtis Chenoweth, 370 P.3d 6 (2016),...

Defining Reckless Endangerment: The Washington Supreme Court's Ruling in State v. Rich

Date: Jan 8, 2016

Defining Reckless Endangerment: The Washington Supreme Court's Ruling in State v. Rich Introduction In STATE of Washington v. Andrea Marie Rich, 184 Wash. 2d 897 (2016), the Supreme Court of...

Addressing Vagueness in Community Custody Conditions: STATE v. Irwin Sets New Precedent

Date: Dec 15, 2015

Addressing Vagueness in Community Custody Conditions: STATE v. Irwin Sets New Precedent Introduction In STATE of Washington v. Samuel Lee Irwin (191 Wash. App. 644, 2015), the Court of Appeals of...

Strict Adherence to Sealing Rules in Parental Termination Cases: A Comprehensive Analysis of STATE of Washington Department of Social and Health Services v. Parvin and Bramlett

Date: Dec 11, 2015

Strict Adherence to Sealing Rules in Parental Termination Cases STATE of Washington Department of Social and Health Services v. Parvin and Bramlett Supreme Court of Washington, 2015 Introduction The...

Reaffirmed Particularity in Fourth Amendment Warrants for Child Pornography Cases: State v. Besola

Date: Nov 6, 2015

Reaffirmed Particularity in Fourth Amendment Warrants for Child Pornography Cases: State v. Besola Introduction State of Washington v. Mark Lester Besola is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court...

Clarification of Beneficiary Status in Foreclosure Mediation: Brown v. Washington State Department of Commerce

Date: Oct 23, 2015

Clarification of Beneficiary Status in Foreclosure Mediation: Brown v. Washington State Department of Commerce Introduction The case of Darlene Brown et al. v. Washington State Department of Commerce...

Keck v. Collins: Supreme Court of Washington Requires Burnet Analysis Before Striking Untimely Expert Affidavits in Summary Judgment

Date: Sep 25, 2015

Keck v. Collins: Supreme Court of Washington Requires Burnet Analysis Before Striking Untimely Expert Affidavits in Summary Judgment Introduction In the landmark case of Keck v. Collins, the Supreme...

Washington Supreme Court Upholds Broad Authority of DUI Blood Warrants to Include Drug Testing

Date: Aug 28, 2015

Washington Supreme Court Upholds Broad Authority of DUI Blood Warrants to Include Drug Testing Introduction In State of Washington v. Jose Figeroa Martines, the Supreme Court of Washington addressed...