Docket No. 78156-7 (from Court of Appeals Division III Case No. 24681-7)  Facts:  Petitioner Scott Skylstad filed a personal restraint petition (PRP) during the second of two direct appeals in the Washington Court of Appeals more than one year after his conviction of first degree robbery, but while his sentence was still on appeal. Continue reading →

Docket No. 78637-2  Facts:  In 1993, the voters enacted the Taxpayer Protection Act (Washington Revised Code §43.135), which limits the growth of state expenditures and requires voter approval of any tax increase raising general fund revenues in excess of this limit, via initiative.  Thirteen years later, the legislature amended §43.135 to raise the expenditure limit.  In response, the Washington State Farm Bureau Federation petitioned for a declaratory judgment that tax increases subsequently enacted by the legislature to raise revenues in excess of the original limit established by §43.135 are invalid.  The superior court granted summary judgment for the Washington State Farm Bureau Federation, ruling that the tax increases are invalid absent voter approval. Continue reading →

Docket No. 78995-9  Facts:  Respondent John Conte was charged with violating Washington Revised Code §40.16.030, which prohibits knowingly offering any false or forged instrument to be filed, after he allegedly reimbursed several individuals for campaign contributions in order to conceal their source, thereby causing the recipients of those contributions to file false campaign finance disclosure forms.  Conte successfully moved to dismiss the charges, asserting that the civil enforcement provisions of the Public Disclosure Act (Washington Revised Code §42.17) provide the exclusive penalties for the conduct alleged.  The state of Washington appealed the trial court’s ruling. Continue reading →

Docket No. 78715-8 (from Clallam Case No. 05-2-00446-3)  Facts

Petitioners Anderson and other life without parole (LWOP) inmates sought a declaration that a 20 percent deduction of non-work related income by respondent Department of Corrections was illegal and violated Wash. Rev. Code §72.09.480. The Department of Corrections claimed Wash. Rev. Code §72.11.020 granted it the authority to take such deductions and apply them toward court-ordered legal financial obligations (LFOs), Continue reading →