Tagged: Washington Supreme Court

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Supreme Court is expected to rule Thursday in a case that challenges the two-thirds requirement for tax hikes. A lower court judge previously found the supermajority rule unconstitutional.

If the two-thirds majority for tax hikes which Washington voters have repeatedly approved -- most recently in November with nearly a two-thirds vote -- is thrown out by the court, then really the only remedy for supporters is to try to get a constitutional amendment passed to actually enshrine it in the constitution. That is no easy feat.

Under Washington law, is a consumer entitled to emotional distress damages when a fast-food employee spits in his or her hamburger, even though the consumer did not eat the hamburger? The Washington Supreme Court Thursday said the answer is possibly “yes.”

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court wants state lawmakers to fund video translation for people in court who don’t speak English. Chief Justice Barbara Madsen told a joint session of the state legislature Wednesday that a remote interpreter service would be less expensive than having a translator present.

She says courts currently have certified interpreters for only 35 languages.

The Supreme Court of Washington issued a series of rulings  on jury selection, isssuing opinions on four cases in one day. They all had to do with how courts and judges interact with jurors.