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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 8 |
| 1862 | 2 |
| 1863 | 3 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 6 |
| 1876 | 27 |
| 1877 | 42 |
| 1878 | 35 |
| 1879 | 2 |
| 1880 | 7 |
| 1882 | 6 |
| 1883 | 38 |
| 1884 | 36 |
| 1885 | 57 |
| 1886 | 31 |
| 1887 | 30 |
| 1888 | 27 |
| 1889 | 71 |
| 1890 | 20 |
| 1891 | 72 |
| 1892 | 179 |
| 1893 | 149 |
| 1894 | 191 |
| 1895 | 256 |
| 1897 | 5 |
| 1898 | 10 |
| 1899 | 49 |
| 1900 | 8 |
| 1902 | 6 |
| 1903 | 86 |
| 1904 | 71 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1907 | 3 |
| 1908 | 19 |
| 1909 | 103 |
| 1910 | 27 |
| 1911 | 12 |
| 1912 | 9 |
| 1914 | 17 |
| 1915 | 15 |
| 1916 | 19 |
| 1917 | 12 |
| 1918 | 3 |
| 1922 | 2 |
| 1923 | 7 |
| 1924 | 9 |
| 1925 | 3 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 1 |
1,805 stories matching action
- A Seattle Wife Sued Her Husband for Beating Her. The Court Said She Couldn't.
Judge Osborne ruled that a married woman could not maintain a damages action against her husband for assault—even after testimony of a fist to the eye and kicks with heavy boots—sending the case to the state Supreme Court.
- A Ten-Thousand Dollar Critique
A former school board member sues the Aberdeen Herald for libel following pointed coverage of the board's actions.
- The City Council’s Policing Scandal
Seattle’s city leadership sparked outrage in 1886 by refusing to support the Mayor's dismissal of a police officer accused of gross negligence.
- The Battle for the Rainier-Grand Hotel
Federal marshals forcibly remove a hotel operator as a bitter legal battle over a lease expiration reaches a breaking point.
- The Commissioners’ Power Grab
Aberdeen’s local officials accused of illegal gerrymandering to manipulate the upcoming election.
- Sunday Closing Fight Hits the Fruit Fair
Walla Walla's religious organizations challenge the management's decision to keep the local fruit fair open on a Sunday.
- The Herald’s Legal Victory
A landmark criminal libel trial in Aberdeen concludes with an acquittal, sparking a debate over the role of the press in public accountability.
- Police Crack Down on Melon Patch Marauders
Local authorities take action to stop the 'outrage' of systematic melon theft in Kennewick's farming district.
- The Mystery of the Missing Check
A deep-seated accounting discrepancy involving former City Treasurer W. L. Ames leads to calls for a formal investigation and legal action.
- A $16 Sermon, a Political Pulpit, and a Hung Jury
A frontier preacher sued for his fee; the churchgoer said the sermon had turned into electioneering. Five hours later, the jury still couldn't agree.
- The Council Seat That Went to Court
After Blake outpolled Morris in December, the city council seated Morris anyway. Judge Langley rules that the courts, not the council, must decide who really won.
- Commissioners Defy Court Order on Courthouse Construction
Two Benton County commissioners pushed ahead with a massive construction contract despite a judicial injunction, sparking a direct challenge to the court's authority.
- The Landlord Who Stole the Doors
A landlord attempts to evict an 'unwelcome tenant' by physically removing the doors and windows from the residence.
- The Unbuilt Map of Everett
A civil engineer sues the city’s founding land baron for $11,000, claiming he was cheated out of the original survey contract and the right to sign his name to the town’s birth certificate.
- The Great Seattle Teacher Pay Cut of 1894
Facing public backlash, a school board director defends controversial salary slashes that hit the lowest-paid educators hardest.
- Everett Labor Council Takes Stand Against Elks Lodge
Local unions clash with the fraternal organization over the hiring of an 'unfair contractor' for their new building project.
- Spokane Trades Council Orders Watch on City Hall
Labor unions in Spokane organize a formal watchdog committee to monitor city council meetings and block anti-labor legislation.
- Seattle and King County Protest Railroad Land Claims
Citizens and local officials successfully force federal review of land-grant claims and the legitimacy of the Puyallup coal road.
- The Rules of the Game: How Seattle's First Lawyers Codified the Fight for Land
When the Washington Territorial legislature overhauled the rules of civil procedure, they essentially wrote the blueprint for how Seattle’s developers and land speculators would battle over the city’s footprint for decades to come.
- A Municipal Debt Crisis
Chehalis County commissioners find themselves over their legal debt limit, triggering a halt on all warrants and a potential bond issuance.
- A Citizen's Public Protest Against a Councilman
A local resident takes to the newspaper to shame an elected official over his opposition to telephone competition in the city.
- Bridge Dispute Triggers Councilman's Resignation
A standoff over the construction of the Main Street bridge forces a local official to step down after he claims his authority was undermined.
- The Price of Debt on the Frontier
A legal summons from 1878 reveals the high-stakes reality of credit and collateral in early Snohomish, where a $100 loan could lead to the seizure of one's livelihood.
- Aberdeen's Broken Rail Promise
The city takes legal action against local investors after a transit company fails to deliver its promised electric railway.
- The Stench of the Fairhaven Mudflats
Citizens demand immediate action to address the foul refuse dumping ground north of Harris Street.