MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Courts and Criminal Justice System

How Local Ballot Measures Fared in the 2021 General Election

November 10, 2021 by Steve Hawley
Category: Elections , Forms of Government-City , Courts and Criminal Justice System , Transportation Finance , Forms of Government-County , Inclusive Communities

From changes in governance to funding for criminal justice, libraries, and transportation, this blog covers many local ballot measures across the state and how these issues fared in the recent general election.

The Status of Drug Possession in Washington State

March 29, 2021 by Flannary Collins
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Courts and Criminal Justice System

This blog provides an overview of the recent state supreme court decision in State v. Blake, which found that Washington’s strict liability drug possession statute was unconstitutional.

Trial by Zoom: Using Online Platforms in Administrative Proceedings, Trials, and Oral Arguments

December 28, 2020 by Clara Park
Category: Land Use Administration , Courts and Criminal Justice System , COVID-19 , Guest Author

This blog post discusses the current state of virtual proceedings and offers pointers for anyone navigating the shift from in-person to virtual proceedings.

Promising Practices for Local Governments: Combating Elder Neglect, Short-Term Vacation Rental Compliance, Reducing Recidivism

December 19, 2019 by Byron Katsuyama
Category: Health and Human Services , Courts and Criminal Justice System , Tourism

This post highlights promising practices for combating elder neglect, increasing compliance with short-term vacation rental regulations, and transitioning newly released inmates back into the community.

Fewer Teens May End Up in Adult Courts

August 20, 2018 by Leah LaCivita
Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System

Signed into law this March, SB 6160 reduces the number of criminal offenses under which youth defendants aged 16- to 17-years-old can be automatically sent to adult court to have their cases tried.

Indigent Defense Standards – Misdemeanor Caseload Limits Take Effect Soon

November 21, 2014 by Bob Meinig
Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System

On January 1, 2015, the misdemeanor caseload limits for public defense attorneys adopted by the Washington State Supreme Court in the new Standards for Indigent Defense take effect. The court had in 2013 delayed the implementation of the caseload limits until that date, to provide time for...

Court Rules Cities' Public Defense Systems Constitutionally Inadequate

December 5, 2013 by Bob Meinig
Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System

A federal district court judge ruled on December 4th that the public defense systems provided by the cities of Burlington and Mount Vernon violated the U.S. Constitution's Sixth Amendment guarantee of effective assistance of legal counsel to indigent persons charged with crimes.

Access to Justice – State Courts Must Waive All Fees for Indigent Civil Litigants

June 12, 2013

Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System

Several years ago, the Washington State Supreme Court issued a court rule (General Rule (GR) 34) that abolished court fees for low-income people. After enactment of GR 34, state courts waived filing fees for indigent litigants. However, some courts imposed their own local surcharges. This practice of adding local...

Caseload Limits for Indigent Defense Standards Delayed Until January 1, 2015

April 10, 2013 by Bob Meinig
Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System

As part of the new Standards for Indigent Defense, caseload limits were to take effect on September 1, 2013, while the rest of the standards took effect on October 1, 2012. However, the state supreme court has now delayed the implementation of caseload limits until January 1, 2015, to provide time for the Washington State Office of Public Defense to conduct a "statewide attorney time study" and...