Blog
Discover more about our recent advocacy and the communities we fight for through our latest blog posts and media releases.
THE LATEST
Court Revives Lawsuit Challenging Use of Faulty Drug Testing in Washington Prisons
SEATTLE — A Washington appeals court has revived a lawsuit challenging the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) for punishing incarcerated people based on unreliable drug testing, allowing key claims to move forward. The case, brought by Columbia Legal...
Spring at Work: Accountability Taking Root
Spring is an opportunity for reflection - on what has taken root, what is just beginning to emerge, and what still needs tending. At Columbia Legal Services, this season finds us holding all of those realities at once. This season, we saw a meaningful example of...
Your Path to Filing Habeas: A Practical Toolkit
We are proud to release this Habeas Toolkit: a self‑help resource designed for individuals detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) and for the wider immigrant community. Although this guide can be useful to anyone seeking to understand the habeas...
Women’s History Month: The Brilliance, Power, and the Truth Women Hold
En Español By: Diana Garcia, Deputy Director of Advocacy; Blanca Rodriguez, Deputy Director of Advocacy; and DonYeta Villavaso-Madden, Equity and Anti-Racist Strategist. “Women’s leadership is not the absence of fear—it is what we choose to build while facing fear,...
Mes de la Historia de la Mujer: El esplendor, el poder y la verdad que poseen las mujeres
In English Por: Diana García, Subdirectora de Abogacía; Blanca Rodríguez, Subdirectora de Abogacía; y DonYeta Villavaso-Madden, Estratega de Equidad y Antirracismo. “El liderazgo de las mujeres no es la ausencia de miedo, sino lo que decidimos construir al...
Bell v. DOC – Unpublished Opinion
One Week Until Our Post‑Session Briefing — Meet the Panelists
We are one week away from our 2026 post‑session briefing, and we’re excited to announce our panelists who will bring their expertise and on‑the‑ground perspectives to this timely discussion: Antonio Ginatta, Policy Director Mark Bowers, Attorney Andrea Schmitt,...
Una semana para nuestra sesión informativa posterior — conoce a los panelistas
Estamos a una semana de nuestra sesión informativa posterior a la sesión 2026, y nos complace anunciar a nuestros panelistas, quienes traen su experiencia y perspectivas sobre el terreno a esta discusión oportuna: Antonio Ginatta, Director de políticas Mark Bowers,...
Law, Courage, and the Work Still Before Us
By DonYeta Villavaso-Madden, Equity and Anti-Racist Strategist In eighth grade, Malcolm Little was among the strongest students in his class at Mason, Michigan. When his teacher asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, Malcolm answered confidently: a lawyer. The...
A message from CLS Interim Executive Director
I am honored to have joined Columbia Legal Services (CLS) as Interim Executive Director. Through my prior work as a civil legal aid attorney and with Alliance for Equal Justice partners, including JustLead Washington and Seattle University School of Law, I have long...
Washington Supreme Court to Hear Sunnyside Mushroom Workers Case, Signifying Major Step in Windmill Mushroom Fight
Sunnyside, WA — Last week, the Supreme Court of Washington State granted a motion by the United Farm Workers (UFW) and former workers at Windmill Farms in Sunnyside, WA to take up their case for discretionary review. After years of organizing, standing up to...
“No más”: Two women who refused to look away
For years, the women in one Yakima Valley mushroom plant were told the same thing: work faster, do not complain, and be grateful you have a job. Breaks were cut short or skipped. Older women worked through pain. Supervisors raised their voices and made it clear that...