Temple of Justice

Facts: Petitioner John Bruen was charged with unprofessional conduct and disbarred by the state board of law examiners after a hearing pursuant to Chapter 115 of the Laws of 1917. Bruen subsequently filed a petition for review with the Supreme Court of Washington, asserting that Chapter 115 was inconsistent with the Washington State Constitution insofar as it vested judicial functions in an administrative board.

Question(s): Does Chapter 115 violate the separation of powers provided for by the Washington State Constitution?

Conclusion: Justice Holcomb’s opinion for the Court held that provisions of Chapter 115 permitting the board of law examiners to issue final orders of disbarment was unconstitutional as the state constitution vested in the Court the exclusive power to admit and disbar attorneys from practice. Read more…

Facts: Petitioner Great Western Union Savings and Loan Association completed and drafted legal forms such as deeds and mortgages in connection with its customers’ real estate transactions, leading the respondent Washington State Bar Association to file suit against Great Western in the Superior Court for Spokane County seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. The trial court held that Great Western had engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in violation of Washington Revised Code §2.48.010. Read more…

Facts: The state of Washington initiated an action pursuant to Washington Revised Code §13.34.180 in the Superior Court for Pierce County seeking to terminate the parental rights of Clayton Hall with regard to his son. The trial court subsequently determined that the state had carried its burden of proof and ordered the termination, leading Hall to appeal the court’s decision to the Washington Court of Appeals. Read more…

Facts: William Noble was suspended from the practice of law for three months for misappropriating funds in his capacity as executor of his deceased father’s estate after a hearing before the Washington State Bar Association’s disciplinary board. The disciplinary board chose to suspend Noble rather than disbar him in light of the hearing officer’s conclusion that Noble’s alcoholism constituted a mitigating factor. Read more…

Facts: Petitioner Nancy Wright filed a medical malpractice action against respondent Group Health Hospital after she was injured during the delivery of her son. Group Health Hospital subsequently instructed employees not party to the case not to discuss the case with Wright’s attorney. Read more…

Facts: Petitioner John Lynch filed suit against Deaconess Medical Center in the Superior Court for Spokane County seeking to recover attorney’s fees after Lynch had successfully pursued a claim for unpaid medical expenses against an insurer on behalf of a patient who had been hospitalized at Deaconess Medical Center. Lynch maintained that as this recovery benefited Deaconess Medical Center insofar as money was paid to Deaconess Medical Center for an account that had previously been deemed uncollectible, he was entitled to attorney’s fees. Read more…

Facts: Following his conviction for vehicular homicide, Patrick Curran’s license to practice law was automatically suspended pending review by the Washington State Bar Association’s disciplinary board. In a subsequent hearing, the disciplinary board decided that Curran had not violated any rules of professional conduct and terminated his interim suspension. Read more…