Posts in human
A trip to Hawaii in the middle of trial and other sleep deprivation stories.
A trip to Hawaii in the middle of trial and other sleep deprivation stories.

We finish the first week of the jury trial which is really the third week. The actual first week Darcy and Mo argues trial motions. The actual second week we select the jury. Now we have completed Monday through Thursday (the judge handles criminal calendar on Friday).

The second the judge dismisses us for the day and the jury has dispersed, grab backpack and run to the restroom. Take off court clothes. Put on leggings, long t and hoodie. Jam the rest back into the backpack. Run back to courtroom.

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trial, humanKaren Koehlerlawyer schedule, lawyer life
When Maui is a way of life - not a vacation...
When Maui is a way of life - not a vacation...

What do you do when you’re in Maui. Now that you’re 65.  Are there for 5 weeks.  With many visitors and guests.  Do you still work…

According to copilot last week (which was fairly light because I spent time with Cristina who was here for a quick visit) this is the work I did:

·       Read 537 emails

·       Send 825 emails

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humanKaren Koehlermaui, women
Seattle employs age old propaganda tactic against Gas Works Park victims
Seattle employs age old propaganda tactic against Gas Works Park victims

The City fired its opening salvo in the Gas Works Park nuisance lawsuit filed after the death of 15 y.o. Matthies Johnson.  This is how the City’s Answer begins:

“The City admits that some trespassers at Gas Works Park who have climbed or attempted to climb the appurtenances to the fenced-in towers have been injured and died in falls.”

The City does not refer to Matthies Johnson or the other 14 young people as humans with names and ages, families and friends.  It classifies them as negative disembodied entities.  Law breakers.  Bad people.  Trespassers.

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human, pretrialKaren Koehlercity of seattle, gas works park, government legal defense
Still toxic after all these years: tragedy at Gas Works Park
Still toxic after all these years: tragedy at Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park is a toxic waste site where oil and other harmful chemicals fester just below the surface. But the city of Seattle had the great idea of turning it into a park - opening it to the public fully in 1976.

Beautiful “kite hill” is actually a mound of sewage and toxic structural materials covered by several inches of clay and a lawn. You can’t dip your toes into Lake Union which surround GWP - because of the toxic sediment which has been waiting for more than a decade to get cleaned up.

But the piece d’ resistance are the cracking towers. A delightful name not to be confused with cracker jacks or anything delicious and safe. This is where carcinogenic chemicals and coal were heated up to create fuel. The environment be damned.

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humanKaren Koehlerpro bono, gas works park, lawyer life
The importance of going
The importance of going

I knew Shawn from another time. Decades ago. She was so lovely. So warm. So loving. We didn’t keep in touch after my divorce. Not really. I would hear about her and Mark her husband. Once in a blue moon would run into them. Then last November, they visited Maui. Came over for a dinner that Cristina put together. And the years melted away. As they always do when you have a friend who has seen all the way inside of you.

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humanKaren Koehlerfriends
The client (many years later)
The client (many years later)

We drive down the hill to watch the sunset from the beach. Phuong has come for a visit.

We first met in the hospital She had just turned 18. Barely escaped death. During the Ride the Duck crash of September 2015. After the ducks lost its axle and crossed the center line it rammed into and through the tour bus full of international students. If Phuong had been sitting one seat back she would not be here today.

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humanKaren Koehlergreat people, ride the ducks
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Goodbye abota.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Goodbye abota.

At first I thought, well Karen - how ridiculous that you would think that you should get award and be mad that you didn’t. As a woman raised in the 60s - we were taught not to be forward, not to expect, to do good work, hope we would be recognized, and not be disappointed when the much louder boys got noticed instead.

But that 60s meek attitude is not how you claw to and survive at the top in the paternalistic world of lawyers. Plus I was raised by parents who believed that if you didn’t fight for yourself and others, then what was the point.

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humanKaren Koehlerwomen, lawyer life, lawyer convention
Why drunk driving laws are so pathetically unfair to the survivors of roadway violence
Why drunk driving laws are so pathetically unfair to the survivors of roadway violence

Last week, the City told me that a yard blower was a weapon and grounds for arrest when used by a protester to protect others from tear gas. Number of victims: 0. A few days later, the parents of Summer Taylor gave gut wrenching statements during the sentencing the drunk (drugs primarily) driver who took their child’s life and almost killed another.

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humanKaren Koehlerdrunk driving, wrongful death
Journey to the retreat...in Estes Park
Journey to the retreat...in Estes Park

Since covid entered the world, have dramatically curtailed speaking travel. But times are changing. And when the request comes in from the Colorado trial lawyers women’s caucus. I say yes. Even though Anne says: are you suuuuuurrrrreeeee. And wags her eyebrows at me.

We had just turned down Wyoming because there was no direct flight and it would have been an 8 hour trip. But this one is a simple flight to Denver which is not far away. Then an hour and a half drive to the resort. Piece of cake I enthuse. Anne gives me a knowing look.

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humanKaren Koehlerwomen, teaching, traveling lawyer, public speaking