Kiyoko Kamio, a law lecturer in Japan and WSBA member, uses music to enrich education, exploring ethical and legal questions around cryonics, the practice of preserving bodies in hopes of future revival. By blending lyrical analysis with classroom tools like mock trials, Kamio engages students in discussions about mortality, autonomy, and emerging technology. For instance, Spring Day, by South Korean pop icons BTS, can mirror the suspended state of cryopreserved individuals.

In recent years, we’ve read and heard many describe American culture as having entered a “post-truth” era. The headlines are numerous, often with references to the rise of misinformation and blind political partisanship. 

Approved April 16, 2025, by the KCBA Board of Trustees

1. The mission of the Bar Bulletin is to publish content that is of practical interest to the general legal community of King County. Content about current legal developments or pertaining specifically to King County or Washington State is favored. All content published in the Bar Bulletin should further its mission.

Some things change, while other things remain the same. Mediating cases over the past several years, I have witnessed that fear appears to be an unfortunate guiding light for many attorneys, young and old. It comes in many forms: fear of failure, fear that someone will take something from me, fear that I won’t get what I want, or worse, what I think I deserve.

This month’s column addresses the trial court’s obligation after a party files a notice of appeal to consider a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law under CR 50, a motion to amend findings under CR 52(b), or a motion for new trial under CR 59, as well as a motion to vacate or modify a judgment under CR 60.1

Authors Elizabeth Yina Finch and Kim Schnuelle examine how separate property can be transmuted into community property through intent, particularly the evidentiary role of quitclaim deeds and extrinsic evidence. Drawing on Marriage of Watanabe (2022) and Matter of Milles (2024), the authors highlight how Washington courts analyze not only the form of a property transfer but also the circumstances, including the parties’ conduct, statements, and prior dealings. Practitioners must scrutinize the deed language and the broader context to assess whether a transmutation occurred.

On April 11, 2025, the KCBA presented a free CLE: Immigrant Family Safety Planning and Minor Guardianship. The training drew over 150 legal professionals and focused on strategies to support immigrant families in preparing for the care of children in the event that a parent is detained or deported.

Did You Know? The KCBA New Lawyers Division is currently seeking applications and nominations for the 2025–2026 board service term. Volunteering for the NLD Board of Trustees is a great way to get involved with KCBA NLD and network with other attorneys in their first 10 years of practice. 

A big thank you to everyone who attended this year’s New Lawyers Division Spring Soirée on March 27! It was a blooming success!

We received a wonderful book donation to the law library the other day. Washington’s Historical Courthouses is a fascinating pictorial journey into Washington’s legal history through the lens of the state’s county courthouses. Author Ray Graves practiced law for over 50 years, primarily in Tacoma. But during his long career, he had occasion to appear in nearly half of Washington’s 39 county courthouses.