Cowles Publishing Company v. Murphy

This case, one of first impression in Washington, concerns public access to affidavits of probable cause, search warrants issued thereon and returns and inventories resulting from execution of search warrants.

The publisher of the Spokane Daily Chronicle newspaper sought a writ of mandamus against Spokane District Court Judges. The writ of mandamus would require that the judges file, as a matter of public record for public inspection, all search warrants, affidavits of probable cause and inventory lists pertaining thereto. The trial court issued a writ of mandamus which will be described…