Case, PATHWAY & Community News
Case News
Our former client, with no other criminal history, was convicted of aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm. Eight years later, a county court determined that our client’s late son, the person she had been convicted for aiding and abetting, was entitled to have his lone felony drug possession conviction vacated and treated as though he had never been convicted of the offense after the Washington Supreme Court invalidated the State’s felony drug possession statute in 2021. Chief Appellate Attorney Vicki Lai filed a writ of coram nobis on behalf of our client, asking that the court vacate her conviction. The petition was granted, and our client no longer has a felony conviction on her record.
PATHWAY News
PATHWAY is underway! The new therapeutic court accepted its first applicant in February and will begin holding Court hearings in March. More information about PATHWAY is available on the Court’s website: DREAM and PATHWAY Therapeutic Courts | Western District of Washington | United States District Court
Community News
The Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington hosted Constitution Day for the fifth grade class from Jennie Read Elementary at the Tacoma Courthouse on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Originally designed as a way to recognize Constitution Day each September, the event brings local fifth graders to federal courthouses to participate in a mock trial; meet judges, attorneys, court staff, and other legal professionals; tour the courthouse, and learn more about the criminal legal system.
After a visit by Magistrate Judge Cristel, the two classes toured the courthouse and participated in a mock trial. Each student had an opportunity to participate in a scripted mock trial in the case of People v. Pat Morton. Students performed as judges, bailiffs, defense counsel, prosecutors, witnesses, and jurors. At the end of the trial, the jurors voted to acquit or to find the defendant guilty. The students also attended a presentation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Tacoma paralegal Carolyn Cohn, Supervisory Administrative Assistant Jessica Cvitanovic, Seattle AFD Colleen Fitzharris, and Research and Writing Specialist Alan Zarky, volunteered to help students with the mock trial.
