2009 Amicus Report
WDA filed the following briefs with the United States and Washington Courts in 2009.
United States Supreme Court
Author: Ann Benson (among others)
Issue: Establishing a standard for effective assistance in cases involving non-citizens
Washington Supreme Court
In Re Sandoval
Authors: Ann Benson and Travis Stearns (WACDL and others joined in this brief)
Issue: Whether it is ineffective assistance to fail to advise a defendant with regard to immigration consequences of a guilty plea
State v. Valdez
Authors: Greg Link, Scott Carter Eldred, and Travis Stearns
Issue: Whether Gant should be applied to cases post conviction that are not yet final and whether evidence should be suppressed as a result
Court of Appeals
In Re D.R.
Author: Casey Trupin (Columbia Legal Services) with contribution for Jill Malat
Issue: Whether counsel should be appointed for children in dependency matters
State v. Mankin
Authors: Travis Stearns, Suzanne Elliot and Joseph Alvarado (Filed Jointly with WACDL)
Issue: Whether a refusal by a police officer to be tape recorded during an interview allows the defendant the right to a deposition and whether the WPA applies to tape recorded police interviews
State v. Carneh
Author: Cindy Arends and Travis Stearns
Issue: Whether it violates the defendant’s privacy rights to unseal mental health and competency records in a criminal matter
In re Blackburn
Author: Eric Broman (jointly with NBK)
Issue: Whether it is a non-waivable conflict issue for defense counsel to represent both parents in a dependency proceeding
State v. Afana
Author: Greg Link
Issue: Whether the fruits of the unlawful search in this case must be excluded under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and/or Article I, section 7 of the Washington Constitution.
