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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1860 | 2 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1862 | 2 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1872 | 4 |
| 1876 | 4 |
| 1877 | 6 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 2 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 10 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 4 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 9 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 6 |
| 1892 | 19 |
| 1893 | 25 |
| 1894 | 27 |
| 1895 | 16 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 2 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 4 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1910 | 4 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1916 | 1 |
| 1917 | 4 |
187 stories matching contempt
- Populist Insult Sparks Contempt Fine
A citizen confronted a judge on the street, accusing him of taking bribes, leading to an immediate court-ordered fine.
- The Mayor and the Judge Clash Over Profanity
A power struggle in Seattle’s municipal court erupted when the mayor and city prosecutor refused to follow a judge's orders to prosecute a case involving a 'cursing' boat captain.
- The 'Cubic Air' Ordinance and a Courtroom Stand-Off
A legal clash in Seattle pits local officials against a law that criminalized living conditions for the Chinese community.
- The Judge and the City Attorney
A legal dispute between Municipal Judge Glasgow and City Attorney Fortson escalates toward contempt proceedings following disagreements over courtroom evidence.
- Try Masel and Risk Contempt, Council Is Warned
Attorney John Wiley says an appeal has stayed the case against the deposed fire commissioner—and that city officials could be hauled before the supreme court if they proceed.
- When the Pullman Strike Reached Washington
Tacoma bricklayers are jailed for contempt and Spokane men face federal charges as the railroad boycott’s aftershocks hit the Northwest.
- Tacoma Takes the Railroad Strike Into Federal Court
A grand jury indicts a former Northern Pacific wiper for beating strike-breakers, while a judge weighs whether union leader Charles A. Barnes's words were contempt or free speech.
- The Courthouse War
A fierce battle between a judge and county officials leads to a standoff, a jail sentence, and a wild threat to tear down the jailhouse to free the prisoner.
- The Judge and the Editor: A 1886 Contempt Battle in Seattle
When a judge appointed a receiver to run a newspaper, he effectively gagged the press by turning the paper's own voice against its editor.
- The Futility of the Gallows
One month after Seattle's first judicial execution of a white man, the local press questions whether state-sanctioned violence actually deters crime or simply breeds contempt for the law.
- The Lawyer, the Judge, and the Rowdy Courtroom
A Seattle attorney’s refusal to follow a justice’s order leads to a standoff, a dramatic arrest, and a courtroom clash that captivated the city.
- The Trial That Wasn't: Tacoma’s Libel Case Collapses Into Farce
A high-profile libel trial in Tacoma devolves into legal sophistry and personal insults, revealing the chaotic state of territorial justice.
- The Judge and the Tenderloin: A Seattle Courtroom Showdown
A Seattle judge loses his temper and issues contempt orders against local law enforcement and the prosecution during a chaotic hearing involving a robbery in the city’s notorious Tenderloin district.
- They Seized a Locomotive to Stop a Train—Then Faced Judge Hanford
After a mob of 3,000 surrounded a Northern Pacific train in Spokane, ten men were charged with contempt and riot; three pleaded guilty and two were sent to hard labor.
- The Courthouse Standoff
A local treasurer defies a court order to pay city school warrants, deepening a long-running legal feud over the Tourist Hotel site.
- The Knights of Labor Civil War
A bitter internal dispute within the local Knights of Labor spills into the courts as a libel suit.
- The Town Takes a Stand Against Domestic Abuse
Forty-three women in Olympia sign a resolution formally denouncing a local man for his history of violence against his wife and children.
- Judge Graves Holds Court on Contempt and Collusion
A local judge punishes a witness for skipping trial and uncovers a plot to buy off justice, leading to charges of perjury.
- Eviction Attempt Sparks Regional Feud
Tacoma rivals attempt to oust the local Harrison Republican Club from their headquarters in the Mason Block.
- The Fugitive Barman of Newport
After dodging a Sunday liquor charge by fleeing the state, a former saloon owner is apprehended upon his return to Newport.
- A Local Reputation at Stake
Bertha Denton fights back against media portrayals, threatening a slander suit following reports about her actions at Camp Murray.
- The Railroad That Decided It Did Not Have to Obey the State
Great Northern built a $20,000 depot at Odessa as a gift to a friendly town — while flatly ignoring orders from the Washington Railroad Commission. Now the commission says it will prosecute.
- Legislative Turf Wars in the Early Days
Despite attempts to smear the new leadership as corrupt, the first Legislative Assembly of Washington Territory successfully organized its houses in Olympia.
- The Olympia Benefit Ball for the Union
Citizens rally to raise funds for sick and disabled soldiers, overcoming rumors and divisive influence.
- The Seattle Fireboat is Not a Tugboat
Insurance underwriters warn that if the city uses the fireboat 'Snoqualmie' to tow garbage scows, property insurance rates will rise, sparking a debate over city efficiency and political patronage.