Judge Strikes Down City Gambling Ordinances
Municipal Judge Joseph M. Glasgow rules that local ordinances regarding gambling and assault are invalid because they conflict with state law, forcing a change in how the city handles such cases.
Joseph M. Glasgow, judge of the municipal court, delivered himself yesterday of a typewritten decision in which he holds that the city ordinance against gambling is invalid inasmuch as it is in conflict with the state law. He also holds that there is no provision in the charter punishing persons guilty of assault and battery, consequently hereafter gamblers and fighters, if arrested at all, must be prosecuted under the state law. The judge holds that under the ordinance a person might be punished twice for the same offense, which would be contrary to all law.
“The judge holds that under the ordinance a person might be punished twice for the same offense, which would be contrary to all law.”
This ruling highlights the historical tension between municipal authority and state-wide legal standards in Seattle. Judicial friction over local versus state jurisdiction remains a consistent theme in Washington state politics, particularly regarding public morality and public safety regulations.
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