Appealing a case isn’t cheap. However, we’ve got some good news for individuals wanting to appeal! The State Supreme Court of Washington ruled on October 30 that attorney fees awarded to a person who successfully appeals a ruling by an administrative agency will triple.

The case came about when Kathie Costanich, a foster parent whose license was revoked by the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), appealed the revocation in Superior Court. Awarded $25,000 in attorney fees, the max allowed by law but only a fraction of the $160,000 billed by attorneys, Costanich was eventually awarded $46,239 for fees by the state Court of Appeals.

DSHS didn’t like that at all. Claiming that the state Equal Access to Justice Act capped attorney fee awards at $25,000 for all stages of judicial review, the Supreme Court ruled that the cap is $25,000 each for the trial, the appellate level and the Supreme Court.

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The high court is officially going green! Taking on five environmental cases for decision…it looks as if environmentalists should be cracking open the champagne and toasting. After several decades of pushing for people to get involved, with the courts now taking cases over such issues, change is obviously in the air.

According to Marcia Coyle at The National Journal, “traditional antagonists in these high court cases, environmental and business groups do seem to agree on at least one thing: The five pending cases are likely to be especially revealing of the still-emerging Roberts Court in an area of increasing national and international concern.”

The five cases presented in court will push the government to enforce the nation’s major environmental laws despite rejections from big businesses. In short, that means that environmentalists aka “the little guy” are beginning to stand up and have a voice when it comes to the law.

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