State v. Ruem

Docket No. 86214-1 (from Court of Appeals Division II Case No. 39053-1)
Synopsis: Whether police officers seeking consent to enter a defendant’s home to execute an arrest warrant on the defendant’s brother were required to advise the defendant of his right to refuse consent under State v. Ferrier, 136 Wn.2d 262, 960 P.2d 927 (1998).

State v. Sweany

Docket No. 86270-2 (from Court of Appeals Division III Case No. 28860-9)
Synopsis: Whether in a prosecution for first degree arson on the basis of fire damage to “property valued at ten thousand dollars or more with intent to collect insurance proceeds,” RCW 9A.48.020(1)(d), the term “valued at” means the fair market value of the property or the value of the insurance coverage of the property.

State v. Sisouvanh

Docket No. 85422-0 (from Benton Case No. 08-1-00685-2)
Synopsis: Whether for purposes of evaluating a criminal defendant’s competency to stand trial, the term “qualified expert or professional person” under RCW 10.77.060(1)(a) requires a competency evaluator to be qualified to assess the defendant’s competency in light of the defendant’s cultural background.

State v. Hunley

Docket No. 86135-8 (from Court of Appeals Division II Case No. 39676-9)
Synopsis: Whether RCW 9.94A.500(1) and .530(2), which provide that a prosecutor’s criminal history summary is prima facie evidence of a defendant’s prior convictions, and that a defendant’s “acknowledgment” of criminal history includes not objecting to the prosecutor’s summary, unconstitutionally relieves the State of its burden to prove prior convictions for sentencing purposes.

State v. Coristine

Docket No. 86145-5 (from Court of Appeals Division III Case No. 28868-4)
Synopsis: Whether, in a prosecution for second degree rape by means of intercourse with a person unable to consent due to mental incapacity or physical helplessness, the trial court properly instructed the jury on the affirmative defense of reasonable belief that the victim was capable of consent, even though the defendant objected to the instruction and asserted only the defense that the State could not prove that the victim was incapacitated.

State v. Allen

Docket No. 86119-6 (from Court of Appeals Division I Case No. 64466-1)
Synopsis: Whether in a criminal prosecution involving a defendant and an eyewitness of different races the trial court should instruct the jury on the difficulty of cross-racial identification when identification is at issue and there is no other corroborating evidence.