Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Nick Brown

State Attorney General Releases Homicide Study

May 13, 1997 - Olympia State Attorney General Christine Gregoire today released a first-of-its-kind research study that could significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of how law enforcement agencies investigate and solve child abduction murder cases. The study also gives parents and other child guardians valuable information to better protect children from becoming victims of these violent crimes.

U. S. Supreme Court Rules States Can Retain Sex Offenders

Olympia Attorney General Chris Gregoire said today's 5-4 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court upholding a Sexually Violent Predator Law modeled after Washington's statute is a major milestone in restoring public confi dence in our system of justice.

In the case of State of Kansas v. Hendricks, the court declared a Kansas law that permits the indefinite civil com mitment of convicted sex offenders constitutional. The ruling validates Washington's law which has detained 51 of the state's most violent sex offenders for supervision, evaluation and treatment.

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Washington Assisted Suicide Law

June 26, 1997 - Olympia--Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today that while the United States Supreme Court said there's no constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide, it left the door open for Washington citizens to change the law that currently bans such practices.

In two 9-0 rulings, the court upheld a Washington law banning physician assisted suicide and a similar law in the state of New York.

Court Upholds $500,000 Penalty Against Mortgage Broker

SEATTLE - August 15, 1997 - The State Court of Appeals this week upheld a $500,000 penalty imposed in 1995 on a former Bellevue mortgage broker who used customer deposits to pay his personal rent. The penalty was part of a $2.3 million judgment against a series of mortgage brokers. This is the largest contested judgment ever entered in a consumer protection action brought by the Washington Attorney General.

Owner of American Eyecare barred from running optical business in Washington

SEATTLE - August 19, 1997 - In an agreement with the State Attorney General’s Office, Leonard E. Vainio, owner of American Eyecare of Bellevue, has been barred from owning and operating any type of optical business in Washington for at least 10 years. The agreement is part of a settlement in an AG consumer protection lawsuit against Vainio.

AG Gets Sleep Country to Stop Deceptive Advertising

Seattle - July 1, 1999- Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire today announced that Sleep Country USA has agreed to stop using deceptive advertising, including a false claim that its prices are "the lowest ever in Sleep Country’s history."

"Without accurate information, consumers can’t make informed choices," said Gregoire. "Our investigation found Sleep Country ads were misleading and deceptive."

State Settles Avista Rate Case

Seattle - May 31, 2002 - Avista Utilities will not increase its rates further and will have to absorb a greater share of its expensive power purchasing agreements, according to a settlement reached today between the utility, state regulators and the Washington State Attorney General.

If approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC), the settlement would essentially freeze Avista’s rates at current levels.