Gene Johnson

September 21, 2009 | Daily Report Online

SEATTLE AP - In one corner of Washington state, a 62-year-old rheumatoid arthritis patient could face more than eight years in prison for growing marijuana for himself and three others. In Seattle, meanwhile, a collection of grow operations serves 2,000 people with little interference from police.The discrepancy is typical of the confusion that has reigned since voters passed Washington's medical marijuana law more than a decade ago.

By GENE JOHNSON

5 minute read

June 05, 2007 | Daily Report Online

SEATTLE AP - A lawyer for Best Buy Co. has acknowledged that he falsified e-mails and a memo before turning them over to plaintiffs in a nationwide class-action lawsuit - a development that could prompt the judge to find the company liable for tens of millions of dollars in damages.King County Superior Court Judge Douglass A.

By Gene Johnson

4 minute read

December 24, 2008 | Daily Report Online

SEATTLE AP - James S. Anderson is about to spend his fifth straight Christmas behind bars. The difference this time is he's no longer a convict.A state appeals court erased the 31-year-old's conviction for armed robbery this month, saying new evidence uncovered by a law school student corroborates what Anderson has always said: He was another state when a group of men hit a Tacoma grocery store in 2004.

By GENE JOHNSON

4 minute read

July 31, 2007 | The Legal Intelligencer

A Postal Service employee sued the agency Monday, accusing it of selling the personal information of its workers to credit card and other companies without consent.

By Gene Johnson

2 minute read

September 14, 2005 | Law.com

A Washington state judge, ruling in a case that exposed the behind-the-scenes animosity between two high-tech titans, cleared the way Tuesday for a former Microsoft executive to perform most of the tasks rival Google had hired him to do. King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez's decision supersedes a temporary restraining order he imposed this summer and remains in effect until Microsoft's lawsuit against Google goes to trial in January.

By Gene Johnson

3 minute read

September 14, 2005 | Corporate Counsel

A Washington state judge, ruling in a case that exposed the behind-the-scenes animosity between two high-tech titans, cleared the way Tuesday for a former Microsoft executive to perform most of the tasks rival Google had hired him to do. King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez's decision supersedes a temporary restraining order he imposed this summer and remains in effect until Microsoft's lawsuit against Google goes to trial in January.

By Gene Johnson

3 minute read

May 21, 2010 | Law.com

After a yearslong battle to avoid extradition, Canada's so-called Prince of Pot was brought Thursday to Seattle, where he is expected to plead guilty to a charge that he sold millions of marijuana seeds to U.S. customers. Marc Emery claimed to have made $3 million a year before his arrest in 2005, when a Seattle grand jury indicted him on marijuana conspiracy and money-laundering charges. Emery is expected to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana in exchange for a sentence of five years in prison.

By Gene Johnson

3 minute read

July 24, 2009 | Law.com

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to pay up to $35 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of 88,000 workers at Washington state stores who were forced to skip meal and rest breaks or work off the clock. The retailer and lawyers for the workers jointly announced Wednesday that a judge has given final approval to the deal. Plaintiffs lawyers will receive $10.5 million to cover eight years of legal fees.

By Gene Johnson

2 minute read

August 13, 2004 | Law.com

A Minnesota high school senior has pleaded guilty in federal court to unleashing a variant of the "Blaster" Internet worm, which crippled more than a million computers last year. Jeffrey Lee Parson is likely to face 1 1/2 to 3 years behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of intentionally causing or attempting to cause damage to a protected computer. He also could be ordered to pay millions of dollars in restitution, according to the Assistant U.S. Attorney.

By Gene Johnson

3 minute read

December 09, 2005 | Law.com

Kevin Jung and William R. Joice were rival attorneys in Washington state. But a year ago, when a police officer asked the wounded Jung who would want to harm him, Jung replied, "Nobody." That was his last word. Since being shot, Jung has been living with brain damage so severe he cannot speak. Now Joice is standing trial for attempted first-degree murder, and Jung is in a nursing home. Joice's attorney is arguing that the shooting wasn't premeditated.

By Gene Johnson

4 minute read