Vancouver, WA asked in Criminal Law, Gov & Administrative Law and Health Care Law for Washington

Q: so if Inslee continues to call this and emergency does this mean he can keep doing this forever?

also does he have the right to jail and fine people for not complying with his wishes? and if so why are so many officers of the law refusing to enforce his mandates? thank you for responding

1 Lawyer Answer
Stan Glisson
Stan Glisson
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Tacoma, WA
  • Licensed in Washington

A: Violation of the Governor's order is a gross misdemeanor, so a person can be arrested for it. Does "he" have the right to jail people? No, that is not the function of his office. But local law enforcement anywhere in the state can enforce the statute.

Since it only went in to effect today, I personally haven't heard of any agencies refusing to enforce the law. They do however have discretion about whether to make an arrest on the spot or just make a referral to prosecutors for charging. I'd be surprised if any police 'refuse' to enforce this or any law, but if it does I'd say address that question to the police agencies. If a police agency actually takes a policy of refusing to enforce a particular law, they would presumably be prepared to answer questions about that policy.

And you're very welcome. If you're a twitter user, I went in to more depth on this topic and can respond to questions on my twitter feed, @stanglisson.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.