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The mission of the lawforwa website is to give the people of Washington easy access to information on the law, the courts, the government, and civic rights and responsibilities.



In the news ...

Have a Legal Question? Legal Line is Back in Action ?
Bob Pittman’s Legal Line is your place to call in with legal questions. Bob tries to demystify the law, translate the legalese and point you in the right direction with regard to your legal problems. Slightly irreverent at times, he engages with you and guest legal experts to explore the law. For more than a decade Bob Pittman hosted “Legal Line with Bob Pittman,” a call-in legal advice radio talk show for CBS affiliate KIRO Radio in Seattle, Washington. Now, Legal Line is back with a live “Bobcast” every Wednesday 3-5pm PST. Have a legal question? Feel free to call 253- 471- 9694, or email jeff@bobpittman.com with your legal questions and Bob might address them during a Legal Line “Bobcast.” For more information, see .

New Video on Representing Yourself in King County Superior Court
Court proceedings are complicated, but not everyone can afford a lawyer to represent them. Individuals have the option to represent themselves. Entities like corporations and limited liability companies do not. The King County Superior Court has prepared a video to help individuals who need to represent themselves. Check out the new tool at .

iCivics Makes Learning Civics Exciting With Games: Is Your School Using This Site?
iCivics is a web-based education project designed to teach student civics and inspire them to be active participants in our democracy. iCivics is the vision of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who is concerned that students are not getting the information and tools they need for civic participation, and that civics teachers need better materials and support. In Washington state the effort to expose students and teachers to iCivics is led by Justice Mary Fairhurst of the Washington Supreme Court and by Margaret Fisher, a leader in public legal education. The games are fun and informative for adults as well. Check out these great learning tools on the .

Failing Grades on Civics Exam Called a 'Crisis'
Fewer than half of American eighth graders knew the purpose of the Bill of Rights on the most recent national civics examination, and only one in 10 demonstrated acceptable knowledge of the checks and balances among the legislative, executive and judicial branches, according to test results released on Wednesday. At the same time, three-quarters of high school seniors who took the test, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, were unable to demonstrate civic skills like identifying the effect of United States foreign policy on other nations or naming a power granted to Congress by the Constitution.“Today’s NAEP results confirm that we have a crisis on our hands when it comes to civics education,” said Sandra Day O’Connor, the former Supreme Court justice. .

Attorneys General Try to Block Health Care Reform
Attorney generals in 14 states are suing the federal government because they believe the new health care reform law is unconstitutional. Read about it in the . Washington state's Attorney General, Rob McKenna, is part of the lawsuit, although Governor Chris Gregoire opposes it. Learn more about their disagreement on .





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You, the Jury

"The American system of trial by jury is unique. No other nation relies so heavily on ordinary citizens to make its most important decisions about law, business practice, and personal liberty--even death. Ideally, Americans take their participation seriously lest they someday stand before their peers seeking justice." -Stephen J. Adler, journalist and author.

Learn more about jury service in Washington on the .