state courts

Judge sides with youth in Montana climate change trial, finds two laws unconstitutional

BY: - August 14, 2023

The State of Montana’s failure to consider greenhouse gas emissions from energy and mining projects violates the state constitution because it does not protect Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment and the state’s natural resources from unreasonable depletion, a judge ruled Monday in a victory for 16 youth plaintiffs who sued the state. […]

Washington’s juries have a diversity problem, survey finds

BY: - July 10, 2023

People of color and those with lower incomes are underrepresented in Washington’s juries, according to a report released Monday.  Black and Native jurors in particular “continue to face greater barriers to jury service,” Frank Thomas, an analyst for the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission, said in a statement. The study, completed by the Minority […]

Low-income domestic violence survivors face uphill battle in obtaining court-ordered protections

BY: - July 5, 2023

This article is the third in a three-part series from InvestigateWest. If you are in a domestic violence situation, get connected with advocates and resources through the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence at https://wscadv.org/.  Nique showed up to her first court hearing in King County alone. Homeless and without an attorney or victim advocate […]