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78 stories matching unconstitut
- The Justice Who Defied the Law of the Landlord
A local judge in Davenport declares the state's 'board-jumping' law unconstitutional, sparking a debate over the rights of the hungry versus the interests of hotels.
- The Fight Against Walla Walla’s Bicycle Tax
While the Supreme Court has deemed special vehicle taxes unconstitutional, Walla Walla cyclists continue to pay up for the sake of path maintenance.
- 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.
- Is the Road Law Unconstitutional?
A Seattle man challenges the legality of a new road near Houghton, claiming private property rights are being trampled for the benefit of a few.
- The Plot to Overturn Women's Suffrage
A leaked political scheme from 1886 reveals a coordinated attempt by territorial Democrats to replace the judiciary and strip Washington women of their voting rights.
- The City’s Cigarette Ban Hits a Snag
A federal judge rules the local anti-cigarette law unconstitutional, leaving shopkeepers in a cloud of confusion.
- The Town That Suddenly Didn't Exist
A Supreme Court ruling declaring sixty Washington towns unconstitutional leaves saloon keepers in Roslyn facing a massive $10,000 licensing bill.
- 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.
- Washington Senate Tries to Ban Election Pledges—After Being 'Buncoed' by the Anti-Saloon League
Lawmakers voted 27 to 11 for a 'freak bill' disqualifying legislators who promise support for bills before election, then added a rider against corporation lawyers. Legal scholars called it unconstitutional.
- The Price of an Invalid Law
When the City of Whatcom arrested a man under an unconstitutional bicycle ordinance, the Supreme Court ruled he couldn't sue the city for damages.
- Judge Strikes Down State Road Laws
A landmark superior court ruling declares the state's method for seizing private property for public roads unconstitutional, throwing years of county construction projects into legal limbo.
- Washington House Speaker Says Courts Can Save Tide Lands
Speaker J. W. Feighan argues that Washington's tide land giveaway is unconstitutional and calls for a citizens' lawsuit to halt the sale.
- The Unmaking of Women’s Suffrage in Washington Territory
A Supreme Court ruling overturns the territory's suffrage law, branding the move an 'unconstitutional' legislative trick.
- Judge Strikes Down Peddler License Law
- The Assessor Followed the Law. Then the County Lawyer Sued — and the Taxpayers Got the Bill.
A Stevens County feud over exempting mortgages and county warrants from taxation turns into a straight-up election threat, reprinted from the Colville Statesman-Index.
- The Battle for the Ballot: Anti-Suffragists Plot to Block Women's Registration
Leading citizens of Seattle move to declare women’s suffrage unconstitutional just days before the city election, sparking a quiet but fierce political standoff.
- The Battle Over Medical Quackery in Early Seattle
A fiery public dispute between the Post-Intelligencer and a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners exposes the era’s struggle to regulate fraudulent 'miracle' cures.
- Northern Pacific Takes Its Rate Fight to Federal Court
The railroad will challenge Washington's sweeping grain-rate cut as unconstitutional, warning the reduction is ruinous and confiscatory.
- The Daily Grind: Tacoma Workers Demand a Living Wage in 1892
A bold petition from local laborers forces the City Charter Amendment Committee to confront demands for a $2 daily wage and a nine-hour workday.
- The Populist Fight for Tax Relief
A representative explains the constitutional struggle to exempt small property holdings from taxation.
- The Supreme Court Rules on Street Grading Liability
The Washington State Supreme Court clarifies the statute of limitations for damage claims against the City of Seattle.
- The Great Spokane Dental Crackdown
A group of Spokane dentists face criminal charges for practicing without a state license, leading to a legal showdown over the constitutionality of Washington's dental regulations.
- The Constitutional Battle Over Fruit Inspection
A Superior Court judge rules that Skagit County fruit inspectors cannot be appointed, effectively stalling the state’s ability to regulate the local orchard industry.
- The Fight to Curb Judicial Overreach
A radical proposal to strip Washington courts of the power to declare state laws unconstitutional sparks a fierce debate in the legislature.
- The Great Hunter’s License Fiasco
A Spokane judge strikes down a state hunting law, labeling it a 'fearful and wonderful piece of work' riddled with drafting errors.
Also about this, in other words
- The Supreme Court Defies Its Own Constitution
A legal dispute over Walla Walla land reveals how Washington State wrestled with the transition from federal territory to sovereign statehood.