Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I to hear cases at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon on May 28, with a panel discussion on May 27.
The Mount Vernon campus of Skagit Valley College will again host a panel of judges from Division I the Washington State Court of Appeals to hear oral arguments on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The court proceedings are open to the public and attendees are welcome to learn more about the role and operations of the Court of Appeals during a Q&A session directly following oral argument.
The hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Tarro Theater located on the Mount Vernon campus of Skagit Valley College, 2405 East College Way, Mount Vernon, WA. They will be livestreamed and recorded by TVW.
Division I Chief Judge Cecily C. Hazelrigg has taken the lead on behalf of the court in coordinating and supporting a number of community outreach events in the northwest part of the state. This is the third consecutive year of collaboration with Skagit Valley College on traveling court. Chief Judge Hazelrigg noted that “Division I is deeply grateful for opportunities to partner with educational institutions like Skagit Valley College in in order to promote both civics education and transparency in government. It is exciting to step off the bench and into our communities to be able to speak with our neighbors about the work that we do at the Court of Appeals and we are so very lucky to have like-minded partners in the administration and on the faculty of SVC.”
Chief Judge Hazelrigg will also participate in a panel discussion on the separation of powers doctrine on Tuesday, May 27 from 2:30-4pm in Tarro Theater. This panel will bring together individuals who are serving in important roles in the three branches of our state government to discuss how law is developed, the interactions between the three branches of government, and how individuals working in the judicial, legislative, and executive branches navigate competing demands in the work that they do for our communities.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Judge David S. Mann (King County), Chief Judge Cecily C. Hazelrigg (Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan and Island Counties), and Judge J. Michael Díaz (King County) will hear arguments in the following cases:
• 864025 – State of Washington v. Christopher A. Nielsen
• 870122 – Scheffer Holdings, LLC v. Robert Sternhagen
• 867458 – Scotsman Guide, Inc. v. Brian Simmons
Each argument will last approximately 20 minutes. Briefs and other filings in these cases can be found at Washington State Courts - Appellate Court Briefs.
While all three divisions of the Court of Appeals may hear cases from trial courts throughout the state, Division I, located in Seattle, covers the northwest region of King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan and Island Counties.
Further information on the history, members and operations of the three divisions of the Washington Court of Appeals is available at Washington State Courts - Appellate and Trial Courts.
Contact: Court of Appeals, Div. I Clerk Lea Ennis, (206) 464-7750, Lea.Ennis@courts.wa.gov.
