Washington

After Trial Win, Defense Lawyer Polls Jury, Gets Guilty Verdict

When a Washington state jury came back into the courtroom with a not guilty verdict in a vehicular assault case on Monday morning, defendant Patricia Sylvester cried tears of joy. But then her defense lawyer asked for the jury to be polled, and the first juror said she didn’t agree…

Oct 22, 2009 7:45 PM CDT

Fugitive Partying in Cancun Arrested After Friending Former DOJ Official

A fugitive sought on bank fraud charges in Seattle was apparently partying and living it up in Cancun, until he made an online mistake: He friended a former Justice Department official on Facebook. Maxi Sopo is now in a Mexico City jail awaiting extradition to face charges that he and…

Oct 14, 2009 6:16 PM CDT

Civil Rights Lawyer is Disbarred, Plans US Supreme Court Appeal

A well-known civil rights attorney and sports agent was disbarred by the Washington Supreme Court today, based on what its written opinion described as a pattern of inappropriate conduct concerning client litigation and fees and other “deceptive” practices. However, attorney Bradley Marshall says he has been wronged by a biased…

Oct 1, 2009 8:46 PM CDT

Murder Defendant Head-Butts Counsel in Apparent Bid for New Trial

Unhappy with his counsel’s legal strategy in a first-degree murder trial in Washington state, the defendant apparently decided to seek a mistrial using his own tactics. Shortly after attorney Adolfo Banda told the judge in the Yakima County Superior Court case this morning that his client was unhappy with his…

Oct 1, 2009 12:03 AM CDT

Family Files Claim Over Child’s Death from ‘Inappropriate’ Dental Patch

The family of an autistic teen who died in his sleep of ketamine and Fentanyl intoxication after his mother applied a topical painkiller patch prescribed after dental work has filed a court claim against the hospital, doctor and resident involved. Attorney Chris Davis, who represents the family, says an “egregious”…

Sep 30, 2009 6:31 PM CDT

D.C. Sniper’s Alleged Shoplifting Costs Gun Shop Owner His License

A federal judge in Washington state has agreed that the owners of a gun shop from which a rifle used in 2002’s fatal D.C. sniper shootings allegedly was shoplifted should not get back their licenses to sell firearms. Attorney James Frush of Seattle, who represents Brian Borgelt and his former…

Sep 29, 2009 6:42 PM CDT

Wash. Lawyer Sues Suburb Over Planned Salmon Hatchery at His Own Home

Bill Weinstein says officials in the Seattle suburb in which he is building a waterfront home agreed he could have a salmon hatchery there, as part of a settlement of earlier construction litigation. But Bellevue officials say Weinstein is wrong. Now they are in court again, as the Washington state…

Sep 24, 2009 5:20 PM CDT

Microsoft Files ‘Malvertising’ Case Against Unknown Individuals

Microsoft filed suit in Washington state court yesterday, in an effort to unmask the individuals behind five companies that allegedly have been distributing “malvertising” to users of its personal computers and services. The company has filed suit in order to enlist the court system’s help in identifying, through subpoenas on…

Sep 18, 2009 11:50 PM CDT

Lawyer Awaits Verdict in Barratry Trial Over ‘Subpoena’ Sent to Opposing Party

A felony charge against attorney William McCool for allegedly improperly obtaining financial information was dismissed earlier this week by a Washington state judge. But the Walla Walla practitioner is still waiting for Superior Court Judge Richard Miller to render his verdict on a misdemeanor barratry charge, reports the Walla Walla…

Sep 11, 2009 9:37 PM CDT

Lawyer Accused of Selling Marijuana Out of His Law Office

A lawyer from Tacoma, Wash., has been arrested based on accusations he sold marijuana from his home, which also serves as his law office. The lawyer, Jesse Edward Yarbrough, was arrested after a six-month investigation by an anti-drug task force, the Associated Press reports. Police raided the law office last…

Aug 24, 2009 3:27 PM CDT

Offered Chance to Leave Drug Life, Alleged Seattle Dealer is Soon Arrested

Last week, Gerald Cowles was one of more than a dozen alleged drug dealers who attended an invitation-only meeting with Seattle authorities at which they were given an unusual choice: Either focus their future activities in a lawful manner—for which they were offered education, job-training, housing assistance and substance-abuse help—or…

Aug 12, 2009 4:42 PM CDT

Stop Dealing Or We’ll Prosecute, Officials Tell 12 Alleged Seattle Drug-Pushers

In a unique law enforcement effort that’s reportedly never been tried before in the state of Washington, Seattle officials invited a dozen alleged drug-dealers to meet with them last night and see the evidence that’s been put together in a year-long undercover operation. If the dealers agree to stop dealing,…

Aug 7, 2009 8:36 PM CDT

Ex-Asst. Wash. AG Pleads Guilty in Phone Harassment of Former Neighbor

An assistant Washington state attorney general has resigned from his job and pleaded guilty to telephone harassment after reportedly impersonating a former neighbor on adult websites and telling strangers she was interested in having sex with them. The unidentified victim, who is also a former co-worker of attorney Jonathan Milstein’s…

Aug 6, 2009 6:11 PM CDT

Seattle Cop Who Shot Lawyer in ‘06 Melee Faces Unrelated DUI Charge

A Seattle police officer who shot a 52-year-old lawyer during a 2006 traffic-related melee has now been charged with suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in an unrelated case. Officer Zsolt Dornay, 40, and his younger brother were charged in Grays Harbor County District Court after being arrested…

Aug 5, 2009 11:53 PM CDT

Hand Over Client Info, 9th Circuit Tells Ex-Hagens Berman Counsel

Upholding a preliminary injunction issued by a federal court in western Washington state, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has told two onetime counsel for Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro to hand over information about prospective clients they lined up for their now-former law firm. Eran Rubinstein and…

Aug 5, 2009 8:45 PM CDT