Constitutional Law
The Freedom Foundation’s Theodore L. Stiles Center for Liberty advance the rule of law and a legal climate where individuals can exercise their fundamental liberties and government is limited to its proper role. We seek to defend individuals against government encroachments upon their rights; unite lawyers who believe that the purpose of the law is to protect liberty; promote a judiciary that embraces its obligation to interpret the constitution; and expand the public’s understanding of the rule of law. We accomplish these goals through public interest litigation, filing amicus curiae briefs in state and federal courts, hosting events on significant legal issues, and publishing resources about the state constitution and the state courts.
How the state might spare public, businesses the initiative confusion
Mike Reitz, general counsel for the Freedom Foundation, a libertarian-leaning research group in Olympia, said there’s no telling when the Supreme Court will rule on I-1183, though he thinks the justices will uphold the measure.
Editorial: Review of governor’s public records exemption welcomed
It looks as if Washingtonians will finally get resolution to the debate over whether the governor can invoke “executive privilege” to shield public records from public view.
Amicus Curiae Network
The Freedom Foundation’s Theodore L. Stiles Center for Liberty hosts a service for conservative and libertarian organizations and attorneys in Washington State to facilitate amicus curiae support in significant cases before the state appellate courts.
Washington Constitution Resources
The Freedom Foundation has several resources available about the Washington State Constitution. We offer literature about individual rights as well as copies of the state constitution. This winter, Michael Reitz will be presenting The First Line of Defense: 10 Things You Should Know About the Washington Constitution. More information on the class and our literature is provided below.
Supreme Court of Washington Blog
The Supreme Court of Washington Blog provides news, information, and analysis of the cases before the Supreme Court of Washington.
Cary v. Mason Conservation District
Whether a local taxing district properly adopted a property assessment.
Electoral College wins in Louisiana
This two-step method for electing the President of the United States works, at least if you value things like liberty and justice. The genius of our constitutional systems of government (federal and state), are that they create institutions, structures, and processes that rest power with the people, but channel our exercise of that power in ways that tend both to limit government power and to foster political and social stability. Without these things, it is impossible to have a functioning political order or a thriving free market—especially over the long term.Press Release: Federal Judge declines to halt enforcement of Tumwater’s political sign code
Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton denied Barney McClanahan’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction, which requested that the City of Tumwater to stop removing political yard signs from along streets and sidewalks until a final decision is made in the case. McClanahan is challenging the constitutionality of Tumwater’s sign code, arguing that it improperly restricts political speech.Interview with Richard Sanders
Richard Sanders recently joined us on the Supreme Court of Washington Podcast to discuss his time on the state Supreme Court.Looking back at 2011
2011 was a pivotal year for the Freedom Foundation’s Constitutional Law Center!Partial victory in open government case against state ferry system
If a state-run passenger ferry crashes does the public have a right to see investigative records? This was the issue in a ruling issued by the Court of Appeals in Freedom Foundation v. Washington State Department of Transportation.
Executive Privilege Case Receives Widespread News Coverage
It’s not often that an issue generates support from all across the political spectrum, but the Freedom Foundation has done it with our legal challenge to Gov. Gregoire’s broad claims of executive privilege.
WA Supreme Court Accepts Executive Privilege Case
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a challenge to the governor’s executive privilege—a presumed “right” that Gov. Christine Gregoire asserted nearly 500 times in a four-year period to stymie dozens of public records requests.
“If the governor is allowed to withhold records through executive privilege, it would be the most significant expansion of government secrecy in years,” said Mike Reitz, general counsel for the Olympia-based Freedom Foundation, which originally brought the suit a year ago this month.
Governor Hides Records on Judicial Appointments
Judges are elected in Washington, but when the governor makes a vacancy appointment, the public doesn’t get to see the appointment process.
Wrap-up: Obamacare Arguments
The Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, this week. Freedom Foundation’s General Counsel Michael Reitz and Vice President of Policy Trent England talked with NFIB Washington’s Director Patrick Conner to review the arguments and discuss the predictions
OG Pod: State Pays Millions for Public Records Violations
Mike Reitz and Greg Overstreet discuss KING 5’s recent report that the state has paid $4.8 million over five years for public records violations.
Interview with Richard Sanders
Richard Sanders recently joined us on the Supreme Court of Washington Podcast to discuss his time on the state Supreme Court.
OG Pod: The Distiguished Career of Retiring Justice Gerry Alexander
Justice Gerry Alexander is stepping down after 17 years at the Supreme Court.
