Law Commons^™

Reply Brief For Petitioner. Thompson V. North American Stainless, Lp, 562 U.S. 170 (2011) (No. 09-291), 2010 U.S. S. Ct. Briefs Lexis 2135, Eric Schnapper, David O'Brien Suetholz, Lisa S. Blatt, Anthony Franze

Court Briefs

No abstract provided.

When Your Body Is Your Business, Morgan Holcomb, Mary Patricia Byrn

Washington Law Review

Surrogacy in the United States is a multi-million dollar industry in which well paid professionals seek out specially qualified women to fill the difficult job of being a surrogate. Surrogates enter lengthy contracts in which they agree, in intricate and intimate detail, to provide a service for significant compensation—as a group, surrogates in the United States are paid well over $22 million per year. This Article argues that surrogates are professionals in this for-profit industry and are required to report surrogacy compensation as income. As a corollary, surrogates may deduct most of their surrogacy-related expenses as business deductions. Being a …

Article I, Section 11: A Poor "Plan B" For Washington's Religious Pharmacists, Noel E. Horton

Washington Law Review

In Stormans, Inc. v. Selecky, a group of Washington pharmacists contended their religious beliefs precluded them from dispensing the drug Plan B, a post-coital emergency contraceptive. They based their argument on rights conferred by the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. A United States District Court found in the pharmacists’ favor and enjoined enforcement of rules issued by the Washington State Board of Pharmacy requiring pharmacies to deliver medications. The Ninth Circuit reversed, finding that the district court erroneously applied a heightened level of scrutiny to a neutral law of general applicability. Interestingly, …

No Direction Home: Constitutional Limitations On Washington's Homeless Encampment Ordinances, Jordan Talge

Washington Law Review

The Washington State Constitution protects the free exercise of religion. It also vests strong police power in local governments. When these two constitutional provisions conflict, the Washington State Supreme Court must draw the line between valid police power action and impermissible burden on free exercise. In City of Woodinville v. Northshore United Church of Christ, a municipal government crossed that line. The City of Woodinville, Washington refused to consider a church’s application to host a homeless encampment. The Court held this outright refusal to be an unjustified infringement on the church’s free exercise of religion. The Court did not, …

The Terrorist Informant, Wadie E. Said

Washington Law Review

A man sets himself on fire in front of the White House in a dispute with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He has been working as an informant for the FBI in a high-profile terrorism prosecution and is unhappy with the $100,000 he has been paid so far. He has also been recently convicted of bank fraud. As a result, the government declines to call him as a witness, given the damage his actions have on his credibility and trustworthiness. This incident underscores the difficulty inherent in relying on paid informants to drive a prosecution, where material considerations such …

Uwlaw, Fall 2010, Vol. 62

Alumni Magazines

Cover story: For the Defense

Message from the Dean, page 2

News

• Dean Testy Leads UW's Search for a New President, page 3
• Barer Institute Designed to Overcome Obstacles, page 3
• Introducing New LSAA President (Maurice Classen '04), page 4
• Year of the Women (Student Bar Association President Sarra Yamin and Graduate and Professional Student Senate President Sarah Reyneveld), page 4
• Wrongfully Convicted, Free at Last (Innocence Project Northwest), page 5
• From Kabul to D.C., a Triumphant Year for Moot Court and Mock Trial Teams, pages 6-7

Robert Flennaugh II ('96): Criminal Defense, pages 8-10, photos

Joshua Colangelo-Bryan ('99): When …

Neutralizing Actual Controversy: How Patent Holders Can Reduce The Risk Of Declaratory Judgment In Patent Disputes, Homer Yan-Hsien Hsu

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

Alleged patent infringers may bring declaratory judgment actions against patentees when actual controversies exist over infringement or validity. Such declaratory judgment actions are important strategic tools because they allow alleged infringers to take initiative and bring actions, thereby eliminating the risk of doing business without knowing whether continued product use would constitute infringement. Declaratory judgment actions also provide alleged infringers an opportunity to choose the forum in which to bring their suits. In order to bring such an action, however, there must be an actual controversy between the parties to establish standing. The United States Supreme Court’s 2007 decision in …

Death Of The Spam Wrangler: Can-Spam Private Plaintiffs Required To Show Actual Harm, Susuk Lim

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

In Gordon v. Virtumundo, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit published its first opinion on private plaintiff standing requirements for actions under the federal CAN-SPAM Act. The court strictly interpreted CAN-SPAM’s enforcement language, rejecting attempts by professional litigants to insert themselves into CAN-SPAM’s limited private right of action. This Article analyzes Gordon’s treatment of CAN-SPAM’s private right of action and federal preemption provisions. It concludes by assessing the decision’s expected effect on future spam-related litigation.

Inducement Or Solicitation? Competing Interpretation Of The "Underlying Illegality" Test In The Wake Of Roommates.Com, Jeffrey R. Doty

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

In Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley v. Roommates.com, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that a Web site operator loses the immunity granted by section 230 of the Communications Decency Act by materially contributing to the alleged illegality of its third-party content. Subsequent case law seems to reflect two different standards for determining when this “underlying illegality” test is satisfied. Most courts have adopted a narrow reading of Roommates.com, denying immunity only when a Web site has explicitly requested illegal content. In NPS LLC v. StubHub, Inc., however, a Massachusetts …

Outsider Hacking And Insider Trading: The Expansion Of Liability Absent A Fiduciary Duty, James A. Jones Ii

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

In January 2008, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York held that trading put options of a company’s stock based on inside information allegedly obtained by hacking into a computer network did not violate antifraud provisions of federal securities law. The court ruled that the defendant’s alleged “hacking and trading” did not amount to a violation of section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, promulgated thereunder, because there was no proof the hacker breached a fiduciary duty in obtaining the information. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second …

Location Surveillance By Gps: Balancing An Employer's Business Interest With Employee Privacy, Kendra Rosenberg

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

Employers are increasingly using GPS tracking devices as business tools to monitor employee movements. Recent judicial decisions have found an employer’s interest in using location surveillance on employer-owned property generally trumps an employee’s privacy interests. However, employers deciding to use GPS should be aware of the potential limitations on tracking an employee based on state constitutional, statutory, and common law rights to privacy. This Article focuses on the permissible scope of an employer’s use of GPS to track employees in the workplace.

Reply Brief. Staub V. Proctor Hospital, 562 U.S. 411 (2011) (No. 09-400), 2010 U.S. S. Ct. Briefs Lexis 1916, Patricia Ann Millet, Eric Schnapper, Julie L. Galassi

Court Briefs

No abstract provided.

Reply Brief For Petitioner

Suquamish Indian Tribe v. Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Docket No. 10-33 (562 U.S. 981 (2010))

No abstract provided.

Brief In Opposition To Petition For A Writ Of Certiorari By Respondent Tribes Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, And Tulalip Tribes

Suquamish Indian Tribe v. Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Docket No. 10-33 (562 U.S. 981 (2010))

No abstract provided.

Brief For Petitioner, Thompson V. North American Stainless, Lp, 562 U.S. 170 (2011) (No. 09-291), 2010 Wl 3501186, Eric Schnapper, David O'Brien Suetholz, Lisa S. Blatt

Court Briefs

QUESTIONS PRESENTED

Section 704(a) of Title VII forbids an employer from retaliating against an employee because he or she engaged in certain protected activity. The questions presented are:

(1) Does section 704(a) forbid an employer from retaliating for such activity by inflicting reprisals on a third party, such as a spouse, family member or fiance, who is closely associated with the employee who engaged in such protected activity?

(2) If so, may that prohibition be enforced in a civil action brought by the third party victim?

Staying Neutral: How Washington State Courts Should Approach Negligent Supervision Claims Against Religious Organizations, Kelly H. Sheridan

Washington Law Review

The torts of negligent hiring, supervision, and retention place a duty on employers to prevent their employees from using the places, things, or tasks entrusted to them to harm foreseeable victims. The negligent employment torts create an independent duty under which plaintiffs may pursue an action when suits brought under a vicarious liability or breach of fiduciary duty theory would fail. For victims of sexual misconduct by religious leaders, negligent supervision claims against religious organizations are a crucial means of remedying serious and lasting injuries. Washington state law recognizes negligent supervision, and Washington courts have applied it to religious organizations, …

The Racial Geography Of The Federal Death Penalty, G. Ben Cohen, Robert J. Smith

Washington Law Review

Scholars have devoted substantial attention to both the overrepresentation of black defendants on federal death row and the disproportionate number of federal defendants charged capitally for the murder of white victims. This attention has not explained (much less resolved) these disquieting racial disparities. Little research has addressed the unusual geography of the federal death penalty, in which a small number of jurisdictions are responsible for the vast majority of federal death sentences. By addressing the unique geography, we identify a possible explanation for the racial distortions in the federal death penalty: that federal death sentences are sought disproportionately where the …

State V. Grier And The Erroneous Adoption Of The "Punishment-Based" Standard Of Review For Ineffective Assistance Of Counsel Claims Based On All-Or-Nothing Strategies, Jacque St. Romain

Washington Law Review

In June 2009, the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, reversed Kristina Grier’s second-degree murder conviction in State v. Grier. The court concluded that Grier had received ineffective assistance of counsel because her attorney failed to request jury instructions for any lesser-included offenses, choosing instead to pursue an all-or-nothing defense strategy. That same month, Division I issued a contrary opinion, finding the pursuit of an all-or-nothing strategy reasonable. The Washington State Supreme Court has granted certiorari and will soon hear oral arguments in Grier. This Comment reviews federal and state courts’ approaches to questions of ineffective assistance of …

Washington State's Duty To Fund K-12 Schools: Where The Legislature Went Wrong And What It Should Do To Meet Its Constitutional Obligation, Daniel C. Stallings

Washington Law Review

The Washington State Constitution makes education Washington State’s top priority. Article IX, section 1 proclaims that “[i]t is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders . . . .” In the 1978 case of Seattle School District v. State, the Washington State Supreme Court interpreted this language as a command to the state legislature. The Court ordered the legislature to fulfill its constitutional duty by defining and fully funding “basic education” and a “basic program of education.” The legislature attempted to comply by passing and subsequently …

Distinguishing Carcieri V. Salazar: Why The Supreme Court Got It Wrong And How Congress And The Courts Should Respond To Preserve Tribal And Federal Interests In The Ira's Trust-Land Provisions, Sarah Washburn

Washington Law Review

Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire and hold land in trust for the purpose of providing land for Indians. In 2009, the Supreme Court held in Carcieri v. Salazar that to qualify for the benefits of Section 5, tribes must show they were under federal jurisdiction at the time the IRA was enacted in 1934. The Carcieri Court then determined that the Narragansett tribe, which obtained federal recognition in 1983 under the 25 C.F.R. Part 83 recognition process, had not proven that it was under federal jurisdiction in 1934. Carcieri …

Procedural Rules Under Washington's Public Records Act: The Case For Agency Discretion, William D. Richard

Washington Law Review

Voters adopted Washington’s Public Records Act (PRA) in 1972 as part of a broader ballot measure to enhance openness in state government. The PRA requires state government agencies, including statewide agencies and municipalities, to establish procedures so that the public can request copies of records agencies generate. The PRA exempts certain records from disclosure, and other statutes and case law supply additional exemptions. When an agency refuses to disclose records, the requester may ask a court to determine whether an exemption applies. If no exemption applies, the court may compel disclosure of the records and impose monetary penalties against the …

State V. Grier And The Erroneous Adoption Of The "Punishment-Based" Standard Of Review For Ineffective Assistance Of Counsel Claims Based On All-Or-Nothing Strategies, Jacque St. Romain

Washington Law Review

In June 2009, the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, reversed Kristina Grier’s second-degree murder conviction in State v. Grier. The court concluded that Grier had received ineffective assistance of counsel because her attorney failed to request jury instructions for any lesser-included offenses, choosing instead to pursue an all-or-nothing defense strategy. That same month, Division I issued a contrary opinion, finding the pursuit of an all-or-nothing strategy reasonable. The Washington State Supreme Court has granted certiorari and will soon hear oral arguments in Grier. This Comment reviews federal and state courts’ approaches to questions of ineffective assistance of …

The Racial Geography Of The Federal Death Penalty, G. Ben Cohen, Robert J. Smith

Washington Law Review

Scholars have devoted substantial attention to both the overrepresentation of black defendants on federal death row and the disproportionate number of federal defendants charged capitally for the murder of white victims. This attention has not explained (much less resolved) these disquieting racial disparities. Little research has addressed the unusual geography of the federal death penalty, in which a small number of jurisdictions are responsible for the vast majority of federal death sentences. By addressing the unique geography, we identify a possible explanation for the racial distortions in the federal death penalty: that federal death sentences are sought disproportionately where the …

State V. Grier And The Erroneous Adoption Of The "Punishment-Based" Standard Of Review For Ineffective Assistance Of Counsel Claims Based On All-Or-Nothing Strategies, Jacque St. Romain

Washington Law Review

In June 2009, the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, reversed Kristina Grier’s second-degree murder conviction in State v. Grier. The court concluded that Grier had received ineffective assistance of counsel because her attorney failed to request jury instructions for any lesser-included offenses, choosing instead to pursue an all-or-nothing defense strategy. That same month, Division I issued a contrary opinion, finding the pursuit of an all-or-nothing strategy reasonable. The Washington State Supreme Court has granted certiorari and will soon hear oral arguments in Grier. This Comment reviews federal and state courts’ approaches to questions of ineffective assistance of …

Washington State's Duty To Fund K-12 Schools: Where The Legislature Went Wrong And What It Should Do To Meet Its Constitutional Obligation, Daniel C. Stallings

Washington Law Review

The Washington State Constitution makes education Washington State’s top priority. Article IX, section 1 proclaims that “[i]t is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders . . . .” In the 1978 case of Seattle School District v. State, the Washington State Supreme Court interpreted this language as a command to the state legislature. The Court ordered the legislature to fulfill its constitutional duty by defining and fully funding “basic education” and a “basic program of education.” The legislature attempted to comply by passing and subsequently …

Distinguishing Carcieri V. Salazar: Why The Supreme Court Got It Wrong And How Congress And The Courts Should Respond To Preserve Tribal And Federal Interests In The Ira's Trust-Land Provisions, Sarah Washburn

Washington Law Review

Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire and hold land in trust for the purpose of providing land for Indians. In 2009, the Supreme Court held in Carcieri v. Salazar that to qualify for the benefits of Section 5, tribes must show they were under federal jurisdiction at the time the IRA was enacted in 1934. The Carcieri Court then determined that the Narragansett tribe, which obtained federal recognition in 1983 under the 25 C.F.R. Part 83 recognition process, had not proven that it was under federal jurisdiction in 1934. Carcieri …

Procedural Rules Under Washington's Public Records Act: The Case For Agency Discretion, William D. Richard

Washington Law Review

Voters adopted Washington’s Public Records Act (PRA) in 1972 as part of a broader ballot measure to enhance openness in state government. The PRA requires state government agencies, including statewide agencies and municipalities, to establish procedures so that the public can request copies of records agencies generate. The PRA exempts certain records from disclosure, and other statutes and case law supply additional exemptions. When an agency refuses to disclose records, the requester may ask a court to determine whether an exemption applies. If no exemption applies, the court may compel disclosure of the records and impose monetary penalties against the …

Staying Neutral: How Washington State Courts Should Approach Negligent Supervision Claims Against Religious Organizations, Kelly H. Sheridan

Washington Law Review

The torts of negligent hiring, supervision, and retention place a duty on employers to prevent their employees from using the places, things, or tasks entrusted to them to harm foreseeable victims. The negligent employment torts create an independent duty under which plaintiffs may pursue an action when suits brought under a vicarious liability or breach of fiduciary duty theory would fail. For victims of sexual misconduct by religious leaders, negligent supervision claims against religious organizations are a crucial means of remedying serious and lasting injuries. Washington state law recognizes negligent supervision, and Washington courts have applied it to religious organizations, …

The Racial Geography Of The Federal Death Penalty, G. Ben Cohen, Robert J. Smith

Washington Law Review

Scholars have devoted substantial attention to both the overrepresentation of black defendants on federal death row and the disproportionate number of federal defendants charged capitally for the murder of white victims. This attention has not explained (much less resolved) these disquieting racial disparities. Little research has addressed the unusual geography of the federal death penalty, in which a small number of jurisdictions are responsible for the vast majority of federal death sentences. By addressing the unique geography, we identify a possible explanation for the racial distortions in the federal death penalty: that federal death sentences are sought disproportionately where the …

Procedural Rules Under Washington's Public Records Act: The Case For Agency Discretion, William D. Richard

Washington Law Review

Voters adopted Washington’s Public Records Act (PRA) in 1972 as part of a broader ballot measure to enhance openness in state government. The PRA requires state government agencies, including statewide agencies and municipalities, to establish procedures so that the public can request copies of records agencies generate. The PRA exempts certain records from disclosure, and other statutes and case law supply additional exemptions. When an agency refuses to disclose records, the requester may ask a court to determine whether an exemption applies. If no exemption applies, the court may compel disclosure of the records and impose monetary penalties against the …