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Alderwood Associatesv. Washington Environmental Council: State Action And The Washington State Constitution, Suzanne Lee Elliott, Jane Elizabeth Pearson

Seattle University Law Review

In Alderwood Associates v. Washington Environmental Council, the Washington Supreme Court reversed a temporary restraining order forbidding the defendant's solicitation or demonstration on plaintiff's privately owned shopping mall. Although there was no majority opinion because the court split four-one-four, the result of the several opinions is that the Washington constitution now bars private as well as state action that interferes with the gathering of initiative signatures on certain private property. However, four justices also concluded that the free speech sections of the Washington constitution restricts private as well as state action. The Alderwood result is desirable, but could have …