In Cherry v. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, (9th Cir., Aug. 21, 2026), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Department of Fish and Wildlife did not make adequate efforts in 2021 to reasonably accommodate
Can Cider, Mead, and Fruit Wine Use Vintage Dates? A Lawsuit Challenges TTB’s Labeling Rules
For wineries and other producers, a vintage date can communicate important information about a product’s agricultural origins. Wine consumers are accustomed to seeing a year on a bottle and understanding it as an indication of the year in which the
Ninth Circuit Holds That A Federal Court May Exercise Supplemental Jurisdiction Over a State Law Claim Even Where the Federal Claim is a Permissive Counterclaim Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 13(b)
In Zunun Aero, Inc. v. The Boeing Co., No. 24-5212 (9th Cir. Aug. 26, 2026), on a petition for panel rehearing, the Ninth Circuit holds that a federal court may exercise supplemental jurisdiction over state-law claims, under 28 U.S.C.
Court Denies Cross Summary Judgment Motions on Coverage for Odors in Newly Purchased Home
The federal district court denied cross motions seeking to establish whether the policy covered damage due to smells in the insureds’ newly purchased home. Akina v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Ins. Co., 2026 U.S Dist. LEXIS 162817 (W. D.
Failure to Reasonably Accommodate Religious Beliefs Snares Wildlife Department, Nets Win for Employees (US)
A recent decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit—Cherry et al. v Washington Dep’t of Fish & Wildlife, et al., is a primer in employer obligations when reasonably accommodating employees’ religious beliefs.
In
County of King v. Turner (9th Cir. – Aug. 25, 2026)
This is a really smart and well-written opinion by Judge McKeown.
It’s a high-profile case, so I won’t say much about the merits; you can read about it elsewhere. Basically it affirms a district court injunction that stops the federal
Washington State Insurance Commissioner Adopts Stronger Minimum Insurance Standards
On August 18, 2026, the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner formally adopted changes to Washington State’s insurance regulations, raising and strengthening the minimum standards that insurers must comply with during any claim investigation.
Washington Law Seeks to Protect
District Court Finds ERISA Aviation Exclusion Bars AD&D Benefits for Pilots Killed in Crash
In Aloff v. The Prudential Insurance Company of America, No. 3:25-cv-05834-DGE, 2026 WL 2389181 (W.D. Wash. Aug. 17, 2026), United States District Judge David G. Estudillo granted the defendants’ motions to dismiss with prejudice, holding that an aviation exclusion
State AG News: Consumer Protection, Antitrust, Environmental Regulation (July 16-August 12, 2026)
Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. See our State Attorneys General page for more insights. Below are the updates from July 16-August 12, 2026:
Multistate
- A coalition of 19
Worth Reading: Fired Officers in Washington State Disproportionately Land at Tribal Police Departments
July 20 article by Melanie Henshaw, published by InvestigateWest. Link to article is here. The article isn’t a polemical attack on tribes; it identifies a number of structural reasons for this phenomenon.
State Rep. Chris Stearns, D-Auburn, a citizen