Washington

Former inmate’s suit says appointed lawyer was ineffective and unlicensed in this state

A former Washington inmate claims in a lawsuit that he pleaded guilty to two felony charges after getting bad advice from an appointed lawyer who wasn’t licensed in the state.

Aug 31, 2020 12:42 PM CDT

Lawyer can’t sue over poor Avvo rating and allegedly incorrect bar status, federal judge rules

Updated: A federal judge in Seattle has tossed a lawyer’s $1.5 million defamation lawsuit against Avvo for allegedly posting false information that made him look “terrible.”

Aug 28, 2020 2:17 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Trump sued over census policy excluding immigrants; judge swears in 37 new US citizens

Trump faces federal lawsuit over new policy of excluding immigrants from 2020 census The city of Atlanta, several nonprofit organizations and naturalized citizens sued President Donald Trump on Thursday over his plan to exclude undocumented immigrants in the 2020 census reporting used to calculate states’ seats in the U.S. House…

Jul 24, 2020 4:27 PM CDT

Judges should know risks before attending public protests, ethics committee says

A California Supreme Court advisory committee has warned the state’s judges about the ethical risks of attending public protests.

Jul 24, 2020 11:13 AM CDT

New York and Illinois join others moving to October online bar exam; another jurisdiction grants diploma privilege

In light of public health concerns, Illinois and New York have joined the growing list of states that canceled in-person bar exams, with plans for an October remote test offered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Jul 23, 2020 12:02 PM CDT

Legal reform advocates need to more actively engage the public

Supporters of broad reforms to how the legal profession is regulated must do a better job involving the public, says the former longtime executive director of the Washington State Bar.

Jul 15, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

How the Washington Supreme Court’s LLLT program met its demise

The state supreme court’s Limited License Legal Technicians initiative won over the state bar’s board of governors, as the panel unanimously approved a resolution indicating its strong endorsement of the rule. But in a stark 180-degree turn, the limited license program rapidly lost the support of the bar’s board and the court as the makeup of both bodies changed.

Jul 9, 2020 1:46 PM CDT

States can penalize wayward presidential electors, Supreme Court rules

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that states can enforce an elector's pledge to support the winner of the state popular vote in presidential elections.

Jul 6, 2020 9:24 AM CDT

Oregon is third state to grant diploma privilege, while Tennessee cancels its July UBE

The Oregon Supreme Court approved temporary diploma privilege Monday, for in-state graduates and people who graduated from ABA-approved law schools with first-time bar passage rates of at least 86%.

Jun 30, 2020 10:40 AM CDT

Many would-be lawyers are allowed to practice law without exam in Washington state

Graduates of ABA-accredited law schools who are registered for the July or September bar exam in Washington state can skip the test and still practice law.

Jun 16, 2020 12:04 PM CDT

Washington Supreme Court sunsets limited license program for nonlawyers

The Washington Supreme Court will "sunset” the state’s Limited License Legal Technicians program that has permitted nonlawyers to perform some legal tasks within family law.

Jun 8, 2020 3:35 PM CDT

Washington bar’s board mishandled employee’s sexual harassment complaint, report finds

The Washington State Bar Association’s board of governors created a hostile work environment for staff by mishandling an employee’s sexual harassment allegations lodged against a board member, according to an outside investigator’s scathing report that recently became public.

May 21, 2020 9:23 AM CDT

SCOTUS hears arguments on whether ‘faithless electors’ in the Electoral College can switch allegiances

In 2016, for the first time, states removed or punished electors who declined to cast their ballots for their state’s popular-vote winners in the presidential election. The cases involving such “faithless electors” have worked their way up to the high court just as the nation prepares for another presidential election.

May 13, 2020 3:45 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: 6th Circuit won’t delay inmate transfer; sheriff declines to enforce stay-at-home order

6th Circuit refuses to delay inmate transfer On Monday, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati refused to delay the transfer of more than 800 medically vulnerable inmates amid a coronavirus outbreak at the Elkton Federal Prison in Columbiana County, Ohio. The prison has a dorm-style structure that…

May 5, 2020 4:05 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Harvard Law prof drops ‘clickbait defamation’ suit; Trump campaign sues TV station over ad

Law prof drops ‘clickbait defamation’ suit after edits Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig has dropped his “clickbait defamation” lawsuit against the New York Times after the newspaper changed part of an article. Lessig had claimed that the article mischaracterized his essay in which he criticized the scapegoating of a researcher…

Apr 14, 2020 3:07 PM CDT