OUR WORK - Case Summaries

Case No. 2

The Family Safety Project provided emergent and responsive representation to a Petitioner for a Sexual Assault Protection Order. Our client, a member of several identity groups historically barred from the justice system, was sexually exploited and assaulted by a member of the Washington State Bar Association during their attorney-client relationship. When she sought a protection order, the abuser retaliated by ling explicit details and images into the public record. We sought and were granted an emergency order to seal his ling. After protracted litigation, complex discovery due to the intervening change in Washington state law (RCW 7.105), and a contested trial, our client was awarded a ve-year Sexual Assault Protection Order with weapons surrender. In addition, Respondent was arrested during trial for related o enses against our client, and currently faces several felony criminal charges.

Case No. 3

Our eviction prevention team, HELP, assisted a client who had been living in an apartment building where black mold was accumulating throughout the walls of the home due to unusable bathroom fans and poor ventilation. This client is a single dad and both he and his young daughter were experiencing severe health consequences including bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses. The client had made many repair requests, most of which were ignored. Maintenance at one point came into the unit and attempted to clean out the mold but failed to adequately address the extent and root cause of the mold. HELP coordinated with the City of Lakewood’s Rental Housing Safety program, which inspected the unit and reported ventilation and plumbing damage. The landlord illegally attempted to raise the rent in retaliation for client reporting the issues to the City of Lakewood. HELP wrote a letter to the landlord. As a result, the landlord fully repaired the unit, revoked the rent increase, and the client has signed a new lease to remain in the unit with his daughter.