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- May 21, 2018
This Tenant Policy Harms Single Mothers & Their Children
As affordable housing continues to be pushed out of reach in Seattle, we're fighting tenant policies that harm single mothers and their
- Nov 15, 2016
Due Process Is Not a Free Pass
Today, Legal Voice stood with Cynthia Aiken and her daughters in a case that raises critical issues about protections for domestic violence survivors throughout Washington. In this case, Cynthia's 14-year-old daughter had reported abuse by her father and attempted to harm herself. Cynthia sought a domestic violence protection order to temporarily restrict the father's contact with the daughter and, in response, the father demanded that the daughter be forced to appear in cour
- Jun 27, 2016
U.S. Supreme Court Shuts Down Texas "Shutdown" Law
This morning, the United States Supreme Court overturned Texas' HB2, a sweeping anti-abortion bill passed by the Texas Legislature in 2013. This means Texas abortion clinics will remain open and can continue to provide safe and legal abortion care! This case, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, was part of a disturbing trend in state legislatures across the country: passing restrictive abortion laws masquerading as measures to protect women's health. But the justices in the
- Jun 15, 2016
A Victory for Megan and Survivors Across Washington State
Megan was raped by another student at her university and, like many other victims of campus sexual assault, she had to continue attending the same school as him. When she continued to see him on campus and grew fearful, she petitioned the court for a sexual assault protection order. But the trial court denied Megan's petition, claiming she had no reasonable fear of future dangerous acts by the man who attacked her. Legal Voice and our allies at Northwest Justice Project filed
- Feb 17, 2016
Legal Voice Joins Allies in Urging SCOTUS to Uphold the ACA's Birth Control Mandate
Today, Legal Voice joined the National Women’s Law Center and 67 other organizations in filing a “friend of the court” brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the latest round of cases attacking the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage mandate. Seven different challenges from objecting employers have been consolidated into one case, Zubik v. Burwell. The consolidated cases challenge the Affordable Care Act’s provisions requiring that insurance plans cover contraceptives wi
- Dec 17, 2015
Ensuring Protection for Survivors of Sexual Assault
Megan did what they tell you to do after a sexual assault. She told a friend. She sought counseling. She reported the assault to law enforcement and university administrators. And later, when she continued to see her assaulter on campus and grew fearful, she petitioned for a civil sexual assault protection order (SAPO). At trial, she provided uncontested evidence of the assault—including witness statements of people who saw her crying and shaking moments after the encounter—a
- Nov 2, 2015
Access to Justice for Child Sexual Abuse Survivors
In 1988, Legal Voice helped to pass the country's first law to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse survivors to pursue claims against those responsible for the abuse. This Washington law created a delayed discovery rule that allows the time limit for legal action to start at the point the victim discovers her injuries are a result of the abuse, instead of when she reaches 18 years of age. We later helped to enact similar laws in Montana, and now, we are d
- Oct 30, 2015
Upholding Transgender Students' Title IX Rights
Legal Voice—along with our partners in The Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights & Gender Equality, the National Women’s Law Center, and other nonprofit gender justice advocacy organizations—recently signed-on to an amicus brief filed by Columbia Law School’s Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic arguing that a high school’s refusal to allow a transgender male to use the boys’ bathroom violates Title IX. Gavin Grimm, a 16-year-old student in Gloucester County, Virginia, chal
- Aug 14, 2015
A Step Toward Justice for Alabama "Rape Bait" Survivor
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued a unanimous decision in favor of a young woman who is suing her school district for allowing her to be sexually assaulted on school grounds. The woman, who has asked to be called Jaden, was a 14-year-old special education student when she reported that a fellow student had been harassing and propositioning her to engage in sexual activity in the school restroom. Instead of believing her and addressing the issu
- Jul 9, 2015
WA Supreme Court Strikes Down DOH Rules on Hospital Ownership Changes
Today, in Washington State Hospital Association v. Washington State Department of Health, the WA Supreme Court held that the 2013 expansion of rules that require Department of Health approval for certain types of hospital ownership changes exceeded the agency’s authority. The “certificate of need” (CON) review process is triggered by the “sale, purchase, or lease” of a hospital, and the rule at issue defined that term more broadly, to include other transactions changing contr
- Jun 26, 2015
SCOTUS Brings Marriage Equality Nationwide with Monumental Decision
It has finally happened! Today, the United States Supreme Court brought marriage equality to all 50 states with a 5-4 vote. This is a remarkable victory for the LGBT community nationwide. Today's decision affirms what we've known all along: it is unconstitutional to deny the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. Together, we've worked toward this moment for a long time—going back to 2004, when we filed a lawsuit challenging Washington's ban on marriage for same-sex couples. W
- Jun 25, 2015
Legal Voice Files Amicus Brief in De Facto Parentage Case
On June 25, the Washington State Supreme Court heard oral argument in In re Custody of M.W., a case that concerns the application of the de facto parent doctrine. Legal Voice filed an amicus curiae brief in the Court to offer our views on the proper application of the doctrine. The de facto parent doctrine was first recognized by the Washington Supreme Court in In re Parentage of L.B., a Legal Voice case decided in 2005. The doctrine allows a person who has functioned in ever
- May 9, 2015
Local and National Organizations File Amicus Briefs in Marriage of Black Case
Today, the Washington Court of Appeals granted permission for local and national organizations to file amicus briefs that support Legal Voice’s arguments in In re Marriage of Black. In this case, Legal Voice and our cooperating attorneys from Perkins Coie are representing Rachelle Black in appealing decisions entered by a Pierce County court in her divorce. Ms. Black sought a divorce from her husband after realizing that she was a lesbian. Even though Ms. Black had been a sta
- Apr 28, 2015
Protecting the Rights of Incarcerated Parents and Their Children
The Washington Court of Appeals today issued a decision in In re Termination of M.J. and M.J., a case in which a lower court permanently severed a mother’s relationship with her children due to her incarceration. Legal Voice filed an amicus brief supporting the mother’s challenge to the lower court’s ruling. A key issue in the case concerned trial court’s failure to consider requirements of the Children of Incarcerated Parents Act. Legal Voice led successful advocacy efforts
- Feb 4, 2015
Amicus Brief: Seeking Economic Justice for Part-Time Workers
Legal Voice, along with the Washington Employment Lawyers’ Association, recently joined Northwest Justice Project’s amicus brief to the Washington Supreme Court in Darkenwald v. State of Washington, an unemployment compensation case involving a disabled part-time worker. Linda Darkenwald was employed as a dental hygienist for 25 years, but had been working only two days each week during the last four years due to a work-related neck and back injury. In July 2010, her employer
- Jan 16, 2015
Amicus Brief: Protecting Domestic Violence Survivors' Parental Rights
In a recent published opinion, the Washington Court of Appeals held that one reason for terminating the parental rights of a mother was that her “history as a victim of domestic violence” put her children at risk. Legal Voice filed an amicus brief in this case supporting the mother’s request that the Court reconsider its decision, which establishes a dangerous precedent for survivors of domestic violence in Washington State. We believe the opinion wrongly suggests that the mo
- Dec 23, 2014
Survivors Don't Have to "Work it Out"
Legal Voice joined with the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) to submit an amicus brief in Leavitt v. Leavitt, an appeal that challenges court practices that affect the safety of domestic violence survivors throughout Washington. The case concerns the proper interpretation of Washington’s Domestic Violence Prevention Act (DVPA), which enables domestic violence survivors to obtain protection orders to stop abusers from having contact with them or th
- Dec 9, 2014
Amicus Brief: Challenging Enhanced Criminal Penalties for Pregnant Women
Today, Legal Voice joined National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) and 98 other reproductive justice, drug policy reform, women’s rights, and civil liberties organizations in filing an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Lacy Weld. Ms. Weld pled guilty to the crime of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, but was given an enhanced sentence of an additional six years in federal prison because she was pregnant at the time she committed the
- Oct 30, 2014
A Step Backward for Sexual Assault Survivors
For years, sexual assault survivors and advocates have worked to change the legal system’s response to sexual violence. We’ve fought to ensure that survivors of sexual assault are able to report crimes without fear that their conduct will become the focus of the case. But today’s ruling by the Washington Supreme Court threatens to move us backward. In its decision in the case of State v. W.R., the Court reversed 25 years of Washington precedent concerning the burden of proof
- Apr 30, 2014
A Victory in Montana for Sexual Assault Survivors
You may remember us telling you about a horrific case in which a Montana judge issued a 31-day jail sentence to a teacher who raped a 14-year old student—while making statements that blamed the victim for the crime. We’re glad to report that the Montana Supreme Court today issued a unanimous opinion agreeing with our position that the sentence was illegal under Montana law, which requires a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 4 years for such crimes. The Court also agreed with