- Pickup driver killed in collision with bus
Posted May 9, 2008, 5:43 pm by Bernard Law Group
A fatal bus crash in which a pickup collided with a school bus in Spanaway is being investigated by Pierce County sheriff's deputies. According to investigators, the truck apparently slammed head-on into the bus at 224th Street East and 50th Avenue East, said sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer. The truck was driving at a high rate of speed. The pickup driver was killed, but the school-bus driver was not hurt in the crash, which occurred just after 1:30pm. No children were on the bus at the time of...
- Busy Week!
Posted May 9, 2008, 1:36 am by Mary Whisner
There's a lot going on for students (and community members) interested in trial-related topics next week! Mon.-Fri., May 12-16, evenings: 1L appellate advocacy competition Tues., May 13, 12:30: IPNW Student Chapter hosts "Mistaken Eyewitness Identification: The Leading Cause of Wrongful Convictions," with Prof. Jackie McMurtrie and attorney Anna Tolin Wed., May 14, 1-6pm: Coughenour trial advocacy competition, presided over by Hon. John C. Coughenour Thur. May 15, 12:30: Jury and Democracy...
- Jury and Democracy Project - Thur. 5/15
Posted May 9, 2008, 1:28 am by Mary Whisner
Prof. John Gastil will discuss his work examining the relationship between jury service and civic participation at an event hosted by the Forum on Law and Policy, Thur. May 15, 12:30, William H. Gates Hall rm 117. (Students: free lunch!) Prof. Gastil is a leader of the Jury and Democracy Project. Until recently, there was no direct empirical evidence regarding the link between jury service and public engagement, but a study recently published by this proposal's primary investigators produced...
- Skateboarder’s death results in two-year sentence for driver responsible
Posted May 8, 2008, 5:31 pm by Bernard Law Group
A man from Everett was sentenced to two years in prison for striking and killing a 12 year old skateboarder. On the night of August 21st, 2006, Justin Freeman was skateboarding with friends in Everett. Kasey Cline, 28, was driving a pickup when he struck and killed Freeman. Cline kept driving after the Seattle Auto Accident. The day following the car accident, Cline contacted Everett police and claimed he didn't know he had hit the boy. Cline pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in February....
- Group asks FDA to pull Ortho Evra birth control patch from market due to blood clot risk
Posted May 8, 2008, 2:11 pm by The Farber Law Group
The Seattle Times reports that Public Citizen, a national non-profit public interest organization, is circulating a petition asking the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to remove the Ortho Evra birth control patch from the market within six months citing risks of blood clots, stroke and death to users. Ortho Evra birth control patches are manufactured by Ortho-McNeil, a division of Johnson&Johnson. Public Citizen's petition drive is called "Not My Patch" and is based on research which...
- Claim Filing Requirement in RCW 4.96 Not Applicable to Construction Contract Dispute
Posted May 8, 2008, 9:37 am by John Parnass
In Matia Contractors v. City of Bellingham, Division 1 held yesterday that RCW 4.96 -- which requires a written claim to be submitted before suit is brought against a city -- does not apply to a contractor's breach of contract action.
- Washington Company Rejects Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Posted May 8, 2008, 9:18 am by Donald Heyrich
An employment law issue generated controversy yesterday at a company's annual shareholder meeting in Seattle. The company is Expeditors International, a Fortune 500 global logistics company based in Seattle. It trades in the NASDAQ 100 and generates $5 billion in annual revenue. A shareholder proposal requested adoption of a written policy banning sexual orientation discrimination. The resolution failed after it was unanimously opposed by the board of directors, but it came close with 49% of...
- Fantastic Sams Sues Rival Regis for Not Removing Trademarks from Premises
Posted May 7, 2008, 6:27 pm by Michael Atkins
On May 5, hair salon franchisor Fantastic Sams Franchise Corp. filed suit in the Western District against rival hair salon franchisor Regis Corp. and other defendants. Fantastic Sams alleges that Regis convinced the corporation that owned the right to develop and grant third parties FANTASTIC SAMS franchises in the Seattle-Tacoma market to sell its salons to Regis. Fantastic Sams alleges that immediately after closing on its purchase, Regis began operating the salons under its HAIR MASTER brand...
- Renton man killed by train while talking on his cell phone
Posted May 7, 2008, 5:13 pm by The Farber Law Group
In the second pedestrian vs. train accident of this type within the past few weeks (see previous posting), a 50-year-old Renton, Washington man was killed by an Amtrak train while he was talking on his cell phone. KOMO TV reports that the accident occurred in Auburn near the Emerald Downs race track around noon. Apparently, the man did not hear the train's horn because of his phone conversation. Angie Rodriguez (age 17) was killed about two weeks ago by an Amtrak train as she talked on her cell...
- KCLL Featured on Justice Files
Posted May 7, 2008, 4:22 pm
King County Television recently filmed a two-minute segment for their Justice Files program that highlighted the King County Law Library. KCTV also created a 30-second Public Service Announcement.
- Movable soccer goals can be deadly to kids
Posted May 7, 2008, 3:31 pm by The Farber Law Group
A Consumer Product Safety Alert cites 21 deaths in warning that movable soccer goals can be dangerous to kids. The US. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that movable goals are responsible for at least 21 deaths since 1979 due to the goals falling on children. Click here to view an ABC video regarding a deadly soccer goal accident in Phoenix. According to the web-site Anchored for Safety, there have been 34 deaths and 51 injuries since 1979 attributed to soccer goals including the death of...
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Posted May 7, 2008, 11:16 am by Rod Stephens
Storm Clouds at The Weather Channel The Weather Channel is currently embroiled in litigation concerning the outcome of a sexual harassment and retaliation arbitration in which the arbitrator issued what one media outlet has described as a "blistering arbitration ruling in favor of a former anchorwoman..." Presently, The Weather Channel is attempting to keep the results of that arbitration cloaked in secrecy. Here are the facts as I understand them: The plaintiff (Hillary Andrews) went to work...
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Posted May 7, 2008, 3:13 am by Rod Stephens
Wednesday's Excuse "I won't be able to come in today. It seems that I have some unknown contagious disease; but I'll be fine on Monday."
- Oregon Jury Awards $305 Million to Adidas for Payless Shoe Infringement
Posted May 6, 2008, 9:59 pm by Michael Atkins
On May 5, a nine-person jury in the District of Oregon found Payless Shoesource, Inc., liable for infringing Adidas America, Inc.'s three-stripe trademark and awarded Adidas $305 million. The jury found Payless infringed or diluted Adidas' mark or trade dress by using a two- and four-stripe logo on its competing athletic shoes. Trial lasted 14 days. The jury deliberated for two days. An attorney representing Adidas said he thought it was the biggest verdict in a trademark infringement case...
- Car crashes in to Bellingham Starbucks, 5 injured
Posted May 6, 2008, 5:15 pm by The Farber Law Group
The Bellingham Herald reports that a rental car driven by a 70-year-old Texan man crashed through a plate glass window at a local Starbucks store, injuring five people. The accident occurred at the Starbucks on 1031 W. Bakerview Road. The driver, Clinton Felmley, of Arlington Texas was parking his rental car when he says it accelerated. Four victims were taken to St. Joseph's hospital and a fifth person went to the hospital on her own after medics treated her at the scene. None of the injuries...
- City's Pre-Suit Claim Filing Ordinance Not Applicable to GC's Contract Claim
Posted May 6, 2008, 5:00 pm by Brett Hill
This case (Matia Contractors, Inc. v. City of Bellingham, Court of Appeals, Div I) addressed the question of whether a general contractor who is filing a lawsuit against a public entity for breach of contract is required to give notice to the public entity prior to filing its lawsuit. Matia was the general contractor on the Joe Martin Field project, Bellingham's municipal baseball stadium. Bellingham terminated Matia's contract and Matia sued. Bellingham argued that Matia's lawsuit was barred...
- Idaho Court denies GC's claim against project engineer
Posted May 6, 2008, 5:00 pm by Brett Hill
The project involved the development of an area of downtown Pocatello and the scope of work for Beco Construction, the general contractor, included street and sidewalk improvements as well as installation of utilities. The contract was awarded to Beco by the City of Pocatello. The City also hired J-U-B Engineers to serve as the project engineer. J-U-B was also tasked with administering the City's contract with Beco, and J-U-B's role was described in the City/Beco contract. During the course of...
- Social Security and Workers Compensation
Posted May 6, 2008, 4:54 pm by Terri
We have many clients who receive benefits under both their workers compensation claim and a Social Security Disability claim. This is absolutely allowed, and may well increase your overall monthly income. You can collect both benefits, up to a cap of 80% of your highest average annual earnings. Because everyone's earning are different, everyone's 80% cap will be different. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has various formulas for figuring each person's highest average annual earnings,...
- Deck collapse in Buckley, Washington sends 9 teens to hospital
Posted May 6, 2008, 12:18 pm by The Farber Law Group
The Seattle Times reports that 12 members of a youth group were hurt when the deck they were standing on collapsed. None of the teens was seriously hurt but nine teenagers were taken to Pierce County Hospitals for treatment. The teens are between 14 to 18 years in age. The deck which measured six feet wide and 12 feet long was 14 feet high. This kind of accident comes under the category of "premise liability". Premise liability laws consider that the homeowner or property owner are liable for...
- Insulin pumps use by teens linked to 13 deaths
Posted May 6, 2008, 9:44 am by The Farber Law Group
The Seattle Times reports that a Food and Drug Administration study raises concerns about adolescent diabetics using insulin pumps. While The FDA supports the use of insulin pumps in teenagers who have diabetes, they want consumers, their physicians and hospitals to be aware of potential complications due to the use of the medical devices including 13 patient deaths and 1,500 injuries. Infusion pumps are becoming more common in the treatment of Type I diabetes in adolescents and are used by...