My focus is on providing people with fairness in the court systems. Many of my cases have provided new rights for litigants:
In 2007, the Court established that DSHS may not overturn an ALJ’s findings based upon credibility of a witness, protecting litigants who are unfairly charged with abuse or neglect. Costanich v. Washington (DSHS), 156 P.3d 232, 138 Wn. App. 547 (2007).
In 2008, the Court established that the Equal Access to Justice Act provides attorney fees and costs for each level of review, tripling fees available to low-income litigants who prevail on challenges to unfair administrative decisions. Costanich v. Washington state DSHS, 194 P.3d 988 (2008).
In 2010, the Ninth Circuit established that DSHS social workers who fabricate evidence in child abuse investigations are not immune from lawsuits, but liable for civil rights violations. Costanich v. DSHS et. al., 627 F.3d 1101 (9th Cir. 2010).
In 2022, the Court established that litigants who are subjected to racism or bias in a legal proceeding are entitled to an evidentiary hearing in which the opposing party must prove its conduct was not an appeal to bias. Henderson v. Thompson, 518 P.3d 1011 (2022).
Education
- Trial Lawyers College 2007
- J.D., U. Washington 1997
- B.A. Math 1968; M.S. Comp. Sci. 1970, USC
