Research the archive
Narrow 25,688 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 2 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 4 |
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1877 | 6 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1888 | 4 |
| 1889 | 13 |
| 1891 | 9 |
| 1892 | 17 |
| 1893 | 27 |
| 1894 | 28 |
| 1895 | 29 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 2 |
| 1903 | 8 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 8 |
| 1911 | 4 |
| 1912 | 3 |
| 1915 | 1 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 2 |
191 stories matching jurisdict
- The Supreme Court Stops a Judge From Sending Yakima County the Stenographer’s Bill
A superior court judge tried to force the county treasury to pay for trial transcripts. The state Supreme Court said no—and used a rare writ to stop the warrants before they became county debt.
- The Court Let Harbor Lines Reach Beyond the City Limits
Washington’s Supreme Court reversed a lower court and held that harbor-line commissioners had jurisdiction in front of incorporated towns like Ballard, not just cities—then sent the case back to be dismissed.
- Jailed for a Malicious Complaint, Freed by the State Supreme Court
A Pierce County jury found George Locke not guilty and decided his accuser, Leonard Permstick, had complained maliciously. The court ordered Permstick to pay $275.85 in costs or stay in jail—until the Washington Supreme Court ruled the commitment void.
- The Murder That Made Washington Decide Who Counted as Tribal
In 1903 the state Supreme Court upheld Tommy Santiago Howard's manslaughter conviction for killing Kate Arquette on the Puyallup Reservation, ruling that because he had no tribal ties, state court—not federal court—had jurisdiction.
- The Court-Martial That Laughed Up Its Sleeve
In closed sessions at Olympia, Col. J. C. Haines faces charges of foul and abusive language—but his supporters say the fix is already in.
- Washington’s Insurance Commissioner Fights Impeachment With 60 Pages and a Statute of Limitations
J. H. Schively answers all 26 articles with denials, jurisdictional objections, and a request to bar 17 senators — then points the blame at his predecessor.
- Norwegian Ship Enters Seattle, Sparking Consular Dispute
A Norwegian ship’s docking in Port Blakeley triggers a jurisdictional tug-of-war between competing consuls and the race to capture maritime trade.
- The Wharf, the Steamer, and the Line Between Land and Sea
A steamer strains at her lines and damages a warehouse on Gilman’s Wharf. Judge Hanford says the case belongs in admiralty court because the injury happened over Elliott Bay.
- Legal Landmark on Colville Reservation
A federal judge rules that the north half of the Colville Indian Reservation has been restored to the public domain, shifting jurisdiction to Stevens County.
- Seattle Squatters Push Land Fight to District Court
Squatters on the Seattle tidelands win a legal delay in a high-stakes title fight against A.A. Denny, as the city watches a $100,000 property dispute head to district court.
- A Black Miner’s Last Chance: Court Refuses William Holmes a New Trial
Convicted of killing William B. Russell in a drunken brawl at Franklin, Holmes loses his bid for a new trial—then his lawyers challenge the court’s jurisdiction.
- The Fight Over Everett’s Land Grab
A legal battle erupts in Olympia over accusations of fraud and collusion in the original sale of Everett real estate.
- The Bering Sea Arbitration: A Moral Victory for the Seal
A Paris tribunal rules against American claims of exclusive jurisdiction, yet grants the U.S. the stringent conservation regulations they sought to save the fur seal from extinction.
- The Court-Martial That Dismissed Itself
Colonel Haines walks free after a military court decides it had no authority to try him—leaving Governor Ferry to answer for the expense.
- The Defaulting Treasurer’s Last Stand
Seattle’s city treasurer, Adolph Krug, is sentenced to seven years of hard labor, capping a dramatic trial marked by desperate legal maneuvering to invalidate the city's charter.
- Judge Hanford and the Legal Battle for Exclusion
A federal judge asserts authority over state court interference in the deportation of Chinese individuals arriving in Tacoma.
- City Assessment Scheme Ruled Valid After Legal Fight
The state supreme court overturns a previous ruling, saving Seattle from a potential financial crisis regarding street improvement assessments.
- Blacklisted on the Waterfront: Northern Pacific Punishes Strike Leaders
After the 1894 railroad strike, a Northern Pacific superintendent admits the company will not rehire “strike leaders or agitators” — and one ex-switchman says the boycott follows him even to a steamship wharf.
- The Salmon-Trap Border War
Oregon fish officers arrested Washington fishermen for violating a Sunday closure—then found themselves indicted for kidnapping.
- The Neah Bay Standoff: A Clash of Court and Cabinet
A territorial judge, a stubborn Indian Agent, and an injunction gone wrong sparked a tense, potentially violent jurisdictional battle at Neah Bay.
- Federal Commissioner Censured for Illegal Deportation
After ignoring proper legal channels to deport a Chinese woman, a local commissioner escapes termination with a stern judicial warning.
- The Temperance Hall With a Deed That Wouldn't Let Go
A judge voids a ruling on the Good Templars' Columbia Street property, reopening a fight over a free library, a moral clause, and which court had the power to decide.
- A Fraternal Leader Draws the Line at English—and at the Ballot Box
Visiting Knights of Pythias supreme chancellor W. W. Blackwell wants the order to require English and ties voting rights to language, warning of foreign anarchists.
- 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.
- The Deportation That Failed in Seattle
Two Chinese men arrested in Idaho were ordered deported—until a Seattle court asked whether the commissioner had any jurisdiction at all.
Also about this, in other words
- Judicial Gridlock in King County
The Supreme Court intervenes when two Seattle judges refuse to finalize a case, each insisting the other should sign off.
- The Courthouse Confrontation
A $10,000 slander suit between a judge and a bidder at a tax sale is resolved with a public apology.
- The Judge Rules on the 'Common Law' Marriage
A King County court recognizes a union without a formal ceremony, sparking debate over the legal definition of marriage.
- The Justice of the Peace Who Sued for His Salary
A local judge successfully challenges the county auditor to secure his own paycheck, signaling a wider struggle over fiscal administration.
- The Marriage Defense
A lawyer attempts to delay a murder trial by arguing that the defendant is still legally married to the state's star witness.
- The Judge Who Was Both Defendant and Accused
In a stunning legal double-header, Judge Wickersham is convicted of seduction in one court, then immediately indicted for perjury by the federal grand jury in the very same day.
- The War on Judicial Immunity
A fiery editorial from the Everett Labor Journal challenges the 'aristocracy of power' wielded by the judiciary, arguing for the right of the public to recall judges.
- A Scandal in Port Townsend
A Superior Court judge abruptly shutters his court amid intense pressure from the local bar association and calls for his impeachment.