Washington

Washington is located in the Pacific Northwest and is named after George Washington. The state formed from the portion of the Washington Territory which was ceded by Britain in 1846 under the terms of the Oregon Treaty. The state was the 42nd admitted into the Union on November 11, 1889. The state is often referred to as Washington State to differentiate it from the Capital, Washington DC. Nearly 60% of the state’s population resides in Seattle and the local metropolitan area.

The state’s agricultural and farming industries are very strong. Production of apples, hops, pears, raspberries, and cherries, are among the highest in the US. Commercial fishing, manufacturing industries, and tourism, are all major contributors to the state’s economy.

Popular area attractions include Mount Rainier, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks (home to the first Starbucks in the country), the Columbia River Gorge, Puget Sound, and Olympic National Park, are just a few of the many popular area attractions locals and tourists alike visit annually. Major company headquarters including Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, Nintendo of America, Bungie, Telecom (T-mobile), and Expedia, contribute to the workforce and state’s economy greatly. Universities in the state include the University of Washington, Washington State University, Gonzaga, Seattle University, and Highline College, among others.

The governmental structure of the State of Washington is established by the Constitution of the State of Washington. The executive is composed of the Governor, several other statewide elected officials and the Governor's cabinet. The Washington State Legislature consists of the House of Representatives and State Senate. The judiciary is composed of the Washington Supreme Court and lower courts. There is also local government, consisting of counties, municipalities and special districts.

 

The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the State. It can review lower court decisions, and it has original jurisdiction on complaints against state officers; additionally, all cases involving the death penalty are automatically reviewed by the Supreme Court. 

 

The Washington Court of Appeals is an intermediate level appellate court, and it hears appeals from a variety of sources.  The court is divided into three divisions, and judges are elected for six-year terms.  Cases are heard by a panel of three judges.  Washington superior courts have general jurisdiction, grouped by districts by counties.  Washington District courts and Municipal courts have limited jurisdiction involving misdemeanors and small actions.  The justices who serve on these courts are elected or appointed to serve four year terms.

The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) licenses and regulates attorneys. The Commission on Judicial Conduct investigates complaints against judges and can recommend judges be removed.  The commission consists of 11 members—two attorneys slected by the bar association, judges chosen by sitting judges, and six non-attorneys appointed by the Governor.

Policy developments, paid sick leave, labor and employment laws and legislation, and minimum wage laws are among the stories visitors to the National Law Review covers. Visitors can also read about state litigation, pending legislation, topics including Ban the Box legislation, and federal and state agency news. The National Law Review covers the latest news from the state of Washington and the US Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit.  

Custom text Title Organization
Feb
27
2024
Broad Forum Clause Favors Policyholders’ Choice of Venue Hunton Andrews Kurth
Feb
26
2024
2023 Health Care Employment Law Year in Review K&L Gates
Feb
9
2024
Washington Identifies Screening Tools for Initial Contaminated Site EJ Assessments Beveridge & Diamond PC
Feb
2
2024
More States on the Cusp of Enacting “True Lender” Laws Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Jan
31
2024
Washington State Petitions EPA to Ban Inadvertently Generated PCBs – Targeted to Pigments, Inks, and Dyes Beveridge & Diamond PC
Jan
26
2024
Top 10 for 2024 – Happy Data Privacy Day! Jackson Lewis P.C.
Jan
16
2024
Take Note: Significant 2024 Gift/Estate Tax Exemption Inflation Increases Blank Rome LLP
Jan
16
2024
WDOE Petitions EPA to Eliminate Current Allowances for PCBs in Consumer Products Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.
Jan
12
2024
12 Days of Handbook Updates: Remote Workers Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Jan
11
2024
Invisible Particles or Not: Coverage May Exist for COVID Claims Hunton Andrews Kurth
Jan
4
2024
Pacific Northwest Climate Law Update: Recent Developments Cloud the Future of Oregon and Washington Climate Programs Beveridge & Diamond PC
Jan
3
2024
Washington Initiates Sustainable Aviation Fuel Rulemaking Under State’s Clean Fuel Standard Program Beveridge & Diamond PC
Jan
2
2024
US State Law Roundup – 2023 Year-end Update Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Dec
26
2023
Tax and Estate Planning Opportunities to Consider Now K&L Gates
Dec
21
2023
Washington State Adopts New, Permanent Wildfire Smoke Regulations Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Dec
20
2023
New Year, New Rules? 2024 May See Implementation Of The DOL’s Proposal For Increased Exemption Salary Thresholds While State-Specific Thresholds Are Also Set To Increase Polsinelli PC
Dec
12
2023
Washington State Drafts Determinations on PFAS-Containing Products Beveridge & Diamond PC
Dec
11
2023
State and Local Hourly Minimum Wage Rate Increases are “Coming to Town” on January 1, 2024 Polsinelli PC
Dec
1
2023
Warning - Transaction Delays Expected. State Notice Requirements Ahead for Health Care M&A! Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Dec
1
2023
Trending in Telehealth: November 15 – 28, 2023 McDermott Will & Emery
Nov
29
2023
Washington Becomes the First State to Enact a Comprehensive Health Privacy Law Hunton Andrews Kurth
Nov
28
2023
Spoliation and the Evolution of Case Law Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Nov
22
2023
What Are the Damages for Violating Washington’s My Health My Data Act? Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Nov
22
2023
Washington’s My Health, My Data Act: Is Your Entity Exempt From Washington’s New Health Data Law? Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Nov
10
2023
Trending in Telehealth: November 1 – 7, 2023 McDermott Will & Emery
Nov
6
2023
CMS’ Making Care Primary (MCP) Model: Applications Due November 30, 2023 Foley & Lardner LLP
Nov
3
2023
Updates to the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Program Jackson Lewis P.C.
Oct
24
2023
Washington State to Raise Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Threshold in 2024 Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Oct
17
2023
Washington Employers Beware—Barrage of Suits Filed Over Pay Range Disclosure Law Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Oct
13
2023
Trending in Telehealth: September 26, 2023 – October 10, 2023 McDermott Will & Emery
Oct
11
2023
Chat with Caution: The Growing Data Privacy Compliance and Litigation Risk of Chatbots Pierce Atwood LLP
Oct
3
2023
Comparing the Definition of ‘Consumer Health Data’ Between State Statutes Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Sep
18
2023
Ecology to Consider Expanding Carbon Offsets Available Under Washington State’s “Cap-and-Invest” Program Beveridge & Diamond PC
Sep
12
2023
Agencies' Amgen Settlement Won't Protect Competition in Drug Industry MoginRubin
Sep
12
2023
Another Heavy Metal Lawsuit Dismissed Keller and Heckman LLP
Sep
11
2023
TCPAWORLD Pac 12 Edition: READ The Order Reigning in The “Treacherous 7” Entered In Favor of BRAVE Washington State and Oregon State Who Are Trying to Save the Conference Troutman Amin, LLP
Sep
7
2023
Energy & Sustainability Washington Update — September 2023 Mintz
Sep
1
2023
CMS Announces New Voluntary Multi-payer Primary Care Model in Eight States McDermott Will & Emery
Aug
29
2023
MTCA Gets a Makeover: Ecology Finalizes First Major Updates to Washington Cleanup Rule in 20 Years Beveridge & Diamond PC
Aug
11
2023
Washington Court Affirms $150M Award for Victims of Seattle Crane Collapse Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Aug
8
2023
Transforming Primary Care: CMS Launches Making Care Primary (MCP) Model Mintz
Aug
1
2023
Vehicle Fleet Reporting Requirements in Washington State Beveridge & Diamond PC
Aug
1
2023
Washington State Proposes Sweeping Changes to Key Greenhouse Gas Regulation Beveridge & Diamond PC
Jul
25
2023
Washington State’s Aggressive Approach to Preventing Intoxicating Hemp Cannabinoids May Be Adopted in Other States Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP
Jul
20
2023
Changing Landscape: Federal and State Regulators Focus on Protecting Consumer Health Data Foley & Lardner LLP
Jul
11
2023
Nevada Joins Washington and Connecticut to Protect Consumer Health Data Privacy Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Jul
10
2023
States with Penalties for Non-Compete Law Violations Foley & Lardner LLP
Jul
9
2023
FFF Sovereign Immunity Series – Part XII Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Jul
6
2023
The FTC Sets Its Sights on Biometric Information Mintz
Jul
6
2023
New Washington State Geofencing Ban Set to Take Effect in July Hunton Andrews Kurth
 

NLR Logo

We collaborate with the world's leading lawyers to deliver news tailored for you. Sign Up to receive our free e-Newsbulletins

 

Sign Up for e-NewsBulletins