YAKIMA, Wash. – A judge has confirmed the adequacy of recall charges against Jim Curtice, the Yakima County Coroner, allowing a recall petition to officially proceed. According to the judge’s ruling, the court-approved synopsis of the recall petition remains as it has in previous weeks, albeit with a minor correction in pronoun reference to Curtice.
During the proceedings, Judge Kevin Naught highlighted that the endorsement of the document by the involved parties does not denote agreement with his decision but merely acknowledges the formal aspects of the synopsis. “Mr. Pickett and Mr. Goodman, there is a place for you to sign this order, to approve it as a form only. That indicates you’re not in agreement with the ruling, but are acknowledging the structure of the order,” Judge Naught stated.
In a session that solidified the path forward, signatures from key legal figures were penned on the order. This includes Judge Naught himself, Yakima County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Don Anderson, the petitioners’ attorney Zach Stambaugh, and Curtice’s own legal representatives, Brett Goodman and William Pickett.
The approval of the recall charges paves the way for the petitioners, who, unless there is an appeal to the State Supreme Court by Curtice’s lawyers, will be able to begin collecting signatures in just a little over two weeks. An appeal could delay the process but, as of now, no such action has been initiated.
This decision marks a significant step in the recall process, potentially leading to a voter decision on Curtice’s continuation in his role. Recall efforts such as these underscore the accountability mechanisms available within local government entities, reflecting the public’s ability to call into question the conduct and performance of elected officials.
The outcome of this process will hinge on the ability of petitioners to mobilize enough support and gather the required number of signatures to bring the issue to a vote. This case continues to unfold as the community watches closely, awaiting the next steps in what could become a notable example of democratic engagement at the county level.
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