Welch v. Southland Corp.

This case involves the interpretation of RCW 4.22.070 and RCW 4.22.015, specifically, whether liability may be apportioned to intentional tort-feasors. The superior court held that the defendant, Southland Corporation (Southland), was entitled to apportion liability to an assailant who shot and injured the plaintiff, Mark Welch (Welch), at one of Southland’s convenience stores. We granted direct review of the superior court’s decision and reverse. Intentional acts are not included in the statutory definition of “fault,” and a defendant is not entitled to apportion liability to an intentional…