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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 4 |
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 7 |
| 1862 | 3 |
| 1863 | 2 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 9 |
| 1876 | 20 |
| 1877 | 21 |
| 1878 | 56 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 9 |
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 22 |
| 1884 | 17 |
| 1885 | 46 |
| 1886 | 23 |
| 1887 | 26 |
| 1888 | 12 |
| 1889 | 49 |
| 1890 | 6 |
| 1891 | 43 |
| 1892 | 157 |
| 1893 | 134 |
| 1894 | 143 |
| 1895 | 127 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 8 |
| 1899 | 8 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1903 | 58 |
| 1904 | 41 |
| 1905 | 2 |
| 1907 | 6 |
| 1908 | 10 |
| 1909 | 41 |
| 1910 | 15 |
| 1911 | 4 |
| 1912 | 4 |
| 1914 | 7 |
| 1915 | 3 |
| 1916 | 12 |
| 1917 | 7 |
| 1918 | 2 |
| 1923 | 4 |
| 1924 | 5 |
| 1929 | 1 |
1,191 stories matching defend
- The Price of Early Seattle Speculation
A series of 1878 sheriff's sales reveals the precarious nature of land ownership during Seattle's early frontier development.
- The Checkerboard Conflict
A federal judge rules that sheep ranchers can cross Northern Pacific Railway land to reach public grazing grounds, challenging the railroad's control over the landscape.
- The Land Office Libel Suit
A North Yakima man faces criminal charges after accusing a former land register of orchestrating a fraudulent land claim.
- The Shadow Over Squak Valley
In the autumn of 1885, a series of indictments revealed a brutal campaign of violence against Chinese laborers in the Snoqualmie Valley.
- The Seattle Judge Who Stood Up to 'Professional' Idlers
When a woman shot her abusive husband in 1886, a Seattle judge refused to convict her, explicitly calling out a class of men who lived off the earnings of their wives' shame.
- The Rule of Law in the Wild West
A deep dive into the 1854 Washington Territorial legal code governing criminal trials, bail, and the rights of the accused.
- The Weight of Reasonable Doubt in Early Seattle
A century and a half ago, a Washington judge meticulously laid out the standard of proof for a murder trial, reminding the jury that a man’s life hung not on suspicion, but on evidence.
- The Cabin Door That Killed: A Man-Trap, a Storm, and a Supreme Court Warning
A Whatcom County man rigged a gun to fire when his cabin door opened. A storm-driven traveler triggered it and died—and Washington's high court upheld the conviction, ruling property rights stop short of deadly traps.
- A Violent Dispute Over Laundry
A domestic disagreement over washing services in the Pacific Northwest escalates into a targeted racial assault, exposing the local climate of 'Black Republican' tension.
- The Laundry War: When Seattle Tried to License Away the Chinese
A historic court battle reveals how the City Council once used 'discretionary' licensing to target Chinese-owned laundries, prompting a landmark defense of property rights and constitutional liberty.
- The Trial of James E. Doff: A Seattle Jury’s Acquittal
A local legal drama in the Washington Territory concludes with a dramatic second ballot that completely exonerates the defendant.
- A Lawyer Stood Up in Court and Accused the Jury of Being in the Company's Pocket
In a $25,000 Seattle injury suit, attorney James Hamilton Lewis turned his closing argument into a public warning about corporate influence—and left the courtroom seething.
- The Mill That Vanished Before Its Workers Got Paid
Kent mill hands won wage liens, then found the company's assets allegedly shifted to a new corporation—and the sheriff returning 'No property found.'
- The Insanity Defense in the Lavan Case
A reader challenges the P-I’s skepticism regarding a jury's decision to acquit Patrick Lavan on grounds of insanity.
- Tacoma’s Power Grab: A Massive Lawsuit for the Nisqually
In an effort to secure land for a municipal power plant, the city of Tacoma has named a litany of corporations and private landowners as defendants in a sweeping condemnation suit.
- Abandoned with an infant, a woman sues for her livelihood
A Seattle dentist’s wife seeks legal support after he leaves her and their child destitute, exposing the stark financial vulnerability of women in the 1887 frontier.
- The Lineman and the Trolley Line
A worker's damage suit against a telephone company is thrown out after the court decides infrastructure shouldn't have to withstand streetcar accidents.
- Fogbound on the Pend d'Oreille: Passengers Rowed Ashore as Steamers Lost the River
Heavy fogs and low water stalled the steamers Metaline and Defender, forcing a nighttime transfer by rowboat and signaling the end of the river season.
- The Shadow on the Great Street Bridge
A murder trial reveals the dark final hours of a man named Schoberbring, whose death on a lonely Seattle road sparked a search for his killer.
- Judge Dismisses Case Against R. B. Albertson
After a thorough review of the evidence, Judge Robinson clears the defendant of criminal charges, citing a lack of proof.
- The Hungry Democrats of Adams County
A local lawyer files a mock legal complaint humorously detailing the political squabbling over patronage and power in late 19th-century Washington.
- The Lease a Husband Had No Right to Sign
A Tacoma mercantile firm stopped paying $500-a-month rent, arguing the leased property was community property and the wives had never signed. Washington’s Supreme Court said the lease was not absolutely void—but the tenants had rights too.
- The Bench Inspects the Horse
A judge takes an unconventional approach to a cruelty case, heading to the sidewalk to inspect an injured teamster's horse personally.
- The Eight-Month Deed Deception
A Seattle couple sues to correct a property deed they allege was swapped after they had already agreed to terms.
- Jefferson Street Was Graded on Paper
Homeowners refused to pay an assessment for street work they say was never properly authorized—or finished.