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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1877 | 4 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 3 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 1 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1893 | 3 |
| 1894 | 3 |
| 1895 | 1 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1903 | 3 |
| 1904 | 3 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1925 | 1 |
33 stories matching null
- Seattle's Mayor Overreached: Judge Langley Voids the Police Commission Firings
The mayor's summary removal of Police Commissioners Niggle and Cheasty was null and void, the court ruled, leaving Chief Rogers in charge and the city's police leadership in limbo.
- The Day Seattle Women Lost the Vote
In a bombshell ruling that blindsided the territory, the Supreme Court struck down the 1883 law that first granted Washington women the right to cast a ballot.
- The Strange Case of the County's Vanished Property
A legal battle over the former Collins claim reveals a messy history of county mismanagement, secret land deals, and invalid property sales.
- City Hall vs. The Legislature: A Fight for Local Control
An editorial challenges the legality of the Washington Territorial Legislature appointing members to the Seattle City Council.
- New Benton County Board Vows to Topple Courthouse Deal
Commissioners Bash and Pratt fire legal counsel and challenge the legitimacy of the previous board's construction contracts.
- A Family Feud Over Property in North Seattle
A mother’s attempt to reclaim her house from her daughter ends in court, revealing a painful struggle over aging, dependency, and control.
- Banking Fallout from School Bond Mess
Local business leaders back away from an informal agreement to cover school district debt as the legal validity of the warrants is questioned.
- The Prohibition Ploy: Licensing Soft Drinks to Stop Bootlegging
A new city ordinance requires soft drink counters to purchase a license, not for revenue, but as a lever to shut down businesses caught selling liquor.
- Richland Bridge Contract Nullified by State Oversight
A procedural shortcut taken by county commissioners to build a bridge has backfired, with the state declaring their contract void for lack of competitive bidding.
- City Hall Threatens to Cancel Paving and Bridge Contracts
Tacoma’s City Attorney warns that unfinished public works contracts on Pacific Avenue and the Puyallup River bridge may be nullified.
- The Ghost Town That Refused to Die
A legal war between Denver, Washington, and the city of Spokane ends in the state supreme court, effectively wiping a town off the map.
- City Council Caught in Illegal Power Play
Local officials in Walla Walla are accused of violating the city charter to oust a veteran from his position as poundmaster.
- The Eight-Hour Day Battle in 1887
Washington territorial legislators spar over radical new labor laws, including mandates for an eight-hour workday and the end of company-scrip payment systems.
- The Federal Strike Against Washington's Anti-Cigarette Law
A federal judge declares Washington's prohibition on cigarette sales unconstitutional, setting up a fight between state and federal authority.
- Razors in the Aisles: A Seattle Democratic Convention Turns Violent
When an attempt to integrate the local Democratic party erupted in a brawl, the chair was sent flying and the local police were called to restore order to a chaotic political meeting.
- Legal Strategies Against the Geary Act
While the Six Companies prepare a constitutional challenge to the Chinese Exclusion Act, some factions within the community choose to comply to avoid deportation.
- The Defiant Board of Registration
When the Supreme Court of Washington Territory ruled against women’s suffrage in 1887, Seattle officials openly revolted, ordering women to register for the upcoming city election anyway.
- Olympia’s ‘Miserable’ Street Railway Is Holding the City Back
An 1891 editorial demands that the city cancel the Olympia Street Railway’s charter and clear Main and Fourth streets for electric cars, arguing the two rickety horse cars are a disgrace and a drag on growth.
- A Twelve-Year Water War Ends in Victory for Valley Farmers
The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled in favor of local Hanford water users, effectively ending a long-standing legal battle over irrigation rights and land ownership.
- The Seattle Petition Against Chinese Labor
A group of prominent attorneys and citizens petition the territorial legislature, demanding the passage of exclusionary labor laws despite constitutional concerns.
- The Bizarre Legal Battle for the Benton County Courthouse
A sprawling court fight over the construction contract has pulled in an army of attorneys, stalling the project and complicating the county's civic future.
- The Midnight Death of Seattle’s Charter
When a judge declared the city’s incorporation invalid in 1877, the local newspaper editor went on the warpath to save the municipality from 'gratuitous anarchy.'
- The Bank and the High School Tax Feud
A local bank refuses to pay school taxes, sparking a fierce debate over civic duty and the funding of Walla Walla’s newest school.
- A Colville Judge Just Voided Thousands of Tax Deeds — and Owners May Get Their Land Back
A Stevens County superior court ruling invalidated tax titles tied to a 1902 foreclosure judgment, unsettling more than 3,000 properties and opening a path for former owners to redeem land.
- The 'Perryville' Scam: How a Fake Marriage Left Two Women Broke and Broken
In a tale of deception spanning Los Angeles, Washington, and Canada, two women fall victim to the same con artist who used false matrimonial ads to extract money before fleeing with their savings.