Tomorrow's opinions: April 8, 2010
The Supreme Court will issue rulings in several cases tomorrow.
In re PRP of Steven Clark, No. 81522-4 (argument). Whether a judgment and sentence on a guilty plea may be collaterally challenged beyond the one-year time limit on collateral attack based on the erroneous imposition of community placement, even though the original judgment and sentence was soon corrected to remove the term of community placement.
Merriman, et ux. v. Cokeley, et ux., No. 83700-7. Neighbors brought an action against lot owners, seeking to quiet title to disputed triangle of land. The trial court quieted title in lot owners but denied their request for attorney’s fees and costs.
SEIU Healthcare 775NW v. Gregoire, No. 82551-3 (briefs and argument). The union representative for approximately 25,000 health care providers seeks a writ of mandamus to order Gov. Chris Gregoire to resubmit a budget to the legislature that includes the union's pay increases, which were the result of an arbitrated award. The governor had declined to request funding for the increases ($87 million) in the December 2008 budget proposal. As Justice Mary Fairhurst observed during arguments, the case could come down to how the court interprets the word "must."
