Constitutional Law Publications
Constitutional Law Publications
The Freedom Foundation's Theodore L. Stiles Center for Liberty advances 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.
October 18, 2012
Foundation will not appeal free speech case against City of Tumwater
OLYMPIA --The Freedom Foundation announced today it will not appeal a lower court ruling issued last month in a case disputing whether the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows city officials to remove political signs from a citizen’s private property.
August 27, 2012
Foundation Receives Amici Support from NFOIC, WCOG & Newspapers in Executive Privilege Case
Last week, the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC), the Washington Coalition for Open Government (WCOG), Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington and Washington Newspapers Publishers Association joined together and filed an amicus ("friend of the court") brief in the case Freedom Foundation v. Gregoire.
June 12, 2012
New Judicial Election Guide
You have probably heard speeches and read several articles about candidates running for various offices. Were any of those about judicial candidates? Have you even thought about researching judicial candidates? The truth is that many voters do not know where to start when it comes to choosing judges. A new resource is available to help solve that problem.
May 08, 2012
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 hav...Read more here
March 07, 2012
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.
January 26, 2012
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.
January 18, 2012
Looking back at 2011
2011 was a pivotal year for the Freedom Foundation’s Constitutional Law Center!
January 09, 2012
Court predictably vague on how we'll pay for McCleary-mandated education spending
It's one thing for the justices to define "ample" in terms sure to please the teacher's unions to whom they're beholden. But where's all this money going to come from?
November 16, 2011
State lacking an exit strategy for Occupy Olympia
The protesters are unwilling to leave voluntarily. Then again, what would you expect from a movement that prefers conquest to persuasion?
November 14, 2011
Washington Constitution published by the Freedom Foundation
The Freedom Foundation is pleased to release its latest publication, a pocket-sized edition of the Washington State Constitution. Order your copy today!
October 27, 2011
When does a protest simply become a nuisance'
With no permit, no plans and no idea what they're protesting, the Occupy Olympia crowd could be here for quite a while
October 13, 2011
Who really has skin in the wolf game'
It would be nice if the law reflected the simple reality that you can’t really lose something unless you owned it to begin with.
October 05, 2011
Tumwater Man Asks Court to Halt Enforcement of Tumwater's Ban on Political Signs
On Monday, Barney McClanahan asked a federal judge to order the City of Tumwater to stop removing free speech signs from along streets and sidewalks.
September 03, 2011
New edition of To Protect and Maintain Individual Rights available
The Freedom Foundation is proud to release the second edition of To Protect and Maintain Individual Rights, which provides a detailed analysis of the Washington Constitution's Declaration of Rights.
March 29, 2011
New report on the Washington State Supreme Court
The Freedom Foundation releases the Washington Supreme Court Year in Review - 2010.
March 25, 2011
Policy Highlighter: Executive Privilege - The Phantom Exemption to the Public Records Act
The Washington State Public Records Act (Chapter 42.56 RCW) mandates that all public records held by government agencies are to be available to the public, unless the record is specifically exempted from disclosure by law. As the Washington State Supreme Court has observed, the Act provides “a strongly worded mandate for broad disclosure of public records.”
February 23, 2011
Court: State's voter registration practices do not violate federal election law
The Court of Appeals (Div. 2) ruled today that the Office of the Secretary of State is not violating federal election law by accepting voter registrations from underage applicants. The case was brought by the Freedom Foundation (formerly the Evergreen Freedom Foundation) on behalf of Washington resident and voter Robert Edelman.
November 02, 2010
New report on compliance with the Open Public Meetings Law
OLYMPIA—Today the Evergreen Freedom Foundation released a report on the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), with recommendations for improving compliance with the law among government agencies. Specifically, the report calls on the Attorney General’s Office to develop model rules for public officials.
November 02, 2010
Time for state AG to give public officials more guidance on open-meetings law
HAVE you ever walked into a room to see your child hide his or her hands behind their back? Innocent action, perhaps, but it sure pings your parent radar.
Members of the public have a similar reaction if they believe the government is conducting some public business in secret — perhaps there's no wrongdoing, but they want to know.