Finding Edwin Pratt
Some Union Army general tells human beings in bondage in Galveston they have been emancipated.
Some 150 years later, we have a national holiday to remember it. To remember is to learn. And to learn is...
Government Liability for Negligent Response to 911 Calls
When people call 911 because someone is in imminent threat of serious harm, prompt response by law enforcement or emergency response personnel is essential. If help is delayed because a 911 operator misclassifies a call as a low priority, the 911 agency can be held responsible for a resulting death or injury.
Darcy Covert Presents at WACDL Annual Conference on Civil Rights in Jails and Prisons
On June 12, 2026, I presented at the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual Conference on the topic of civil rights in jails and prisons. When I was a public defender, many of my clients had...
Washington Government Injury Claims: Notice Requirements, Deadlines, and Common Mistakes
One procedural misstep can eliminate your ability to recover...
Calling Out Institutional Racism Isn’t Disqualifying Bias for a Judge Under the Code for Judicial Conduct
On January 2, 2026, the Court of Appeals Division III took the intriguing step of elevating a letter ruling, on which parties outside that litigation generally cannot rely, to the status of an unpublished opinion. An unpublished opinion, while not binding on any court, can be cited by anyone for persuasive...
Police Misconduct: The Constitutional Right to Be Free from Excessive Force
Over the past decade, the American public has become increasingly aware of police misconduct and the use of excessive force against civilians. Here in Seattle, many high-profile incidents and independent investigations have underscored the urgent need to understand—and protect—your Constitutional rights.
What Is “Excessive Force” Under the...
Melanie Nguyen in Bar News: Fifty Years Since the Fall of Saigon
To mark 50 years since the Fall...
When the Federal Government Raids the Wrong House: What Martin v. United States Teaches Us About Government Accountability
It’s early morning. You’re at home with your family, having dinner, maybe still in bed, when suddenly your front door is blown open. Flash-bang grenades go off. Boom! Agents in tactical gear rush in, shouting. “Get down! get down!” ...
Ninth Circuit Ruling in Estate of Soakai v. Abdelaziz Strengthens “Shock the Conscience” and State-Created Danger Claims in Police Chase Cases
In the case of Estate of Soakai v. Abdelaziz, --- F.4th ----, 2025 WL 1417105 (May 16, 2025), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals addressed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action involving two police officers, Walid Abdelaziz and Jimmy Marin-Coronel, who...
Police Brutality in Seattle: What Are Your Legal Rights?
If you or someone you love has suffered harm at the hands of the Seattle police, you are not alone. Area cops have a long history of abusing their badge.
At one point, things got so bad the federal government stepped in to try and get the...