Tacoma Doctor Diagnosing Child Abuse without Specialized Certification Raises Concerns in New King 5 Investigation
A recent King 5 investigation revealed that a Tacoma doctor regarded as one of the state’s preeminent experts in identifying subtle signs of child abuse lacks specialized medical training in this area. Since 2009,... Read More
Child Abuse Allegations Down in the Wake of COVID-19 Shutdown
In a post last month on domestic violence in the time of coronavirus, we noted that these types of allegations were likely to increase with everyone spending more time in their home and feeling... Read More
Singer R. Kelly Faces New Allegations of Sexual Abuse: What Would the Charges Look Like if He Were Accused in Washington State?
On February 14, 2020, The Chicago Tribune reported that singer R. Kelly is facing yet another allegation of sexual abuse of a minor in Illinois. For those unfamiliar with Kelly’s ongoing legal woes, he... Read More
Domestic Violence in the Time of Coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted all aspects of life in Washington. With many people staying home nearly all the time and everyone stressed by the danger of a new and deadly disease, domestic violence... Read More
Could I be charged for having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old?
There is a long-running joke within the legal community about lawyers’ reluctance to answer any question with a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, what you will often hear is, “It depends.” There’s a good... Read More
Three Things You Should Know about “Rape of a Child”
Things to know: It doesn’t matter if it was consensual. Many people assume that the term “rape” implies that some amount of force was used by the perpetrator. Wrong! In fact, force isn’t something the... Read More
Can I be sued by someone claiming I abused them as a child at the same time I’m facing criminal charges?
A person who can prove they’ve been sexually abused is entitled to be compensated with money and can bring a civil lawsuit against the alleged perpetrator to get that compensation. Unlike a criminal case... Read More
The Law on Luring
In Washington, a person may be charged with the crime of luring if they order, lure, or attempt to lure a minor (defined as someone under the age of 16) or a person with... Read More
Marshall Defense Firm’s Latest Big Pro Bono Publico Project Triumph
The Marshall Defense Firm’s advocacy led to the release in August of Casmer Volk. He had been in custody nearly eight years due to a child rape charge. David Marshall and Glenn MacGilvra won... Read More
Six Lessons from the Volk Case for Defendants and Defense Lawyers
By David S. Marshall The Marshall Defense Firm’s seven-year fight for the freedom of Casmer Volk succeeded in August. The firm was preparing for the new trial it had won through a petition... Read More