Genie James v. Alaska Airlines, et al
Summary
The Washington Court of Appeals Division III issued an opinion in Genie James v. Alaska Airlines, reversing the Spokane County Superior Court's judgment. The three-judge appellate panel, authored by Tyson Hill with concurrences from Megan Murphy and Tracy Staab, filed the slip opinion on April 14, 2026.
What changed
The Washington Court of Appeals Division III reversed the Spokane County Superior Court's judgment in Genie James v. Alaska Airlines. The appellate court, in a decision authored by Judge Tyson Hill with concurrences from Judges Megan Murphy and Tracy Staab, found error in the lower court's ruling in favor of the plaintiff-appellee Genie James.
Affected parties, including employers in the transportation and aviation sectors, should monitor this precedent as the appellate court may have identified issues with the Superior Court's application of law to the facts. This ruling reverses the prior judgment and may affect the scope of employment claims or defenses in similar Washington cases.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates if party seeks Washington Supreme Court review
- Consult legal counsel regarding appellate precedent established by this decision
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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DO NOT CITE. SEE GR 14.1(a).
Court of Appeals Division III
State of Washington
Opinion Information Sheet
| Docket Number: | 41202-4 |
| Title of Case: | Genie James v. Alaska Airlines, et al |
| File Date: | 04/14/2026 |
SOURCE OF APPEAL
| Appeal from Spokane County Superior Court | |
| Docket No: | 24-2-01589-7 |
| Judgment or order under review | |
| Date filed: | 04/04/2025 |
| Judge signing: | Honorable Julie M. McKay |
JUDGES
| Authored by | Tyson Hill |
| Concurring: | Megan Murphy |
| | Tracy Staab |
COUNSEL OF RECORD
| Counsel for Appellant(s) | |
| | Anthony E. Hertel |
| | Solan, Milhem, & Hertel |
| | 422 W Riverside Ave Ste 1300 |
| | Spokane, WA, 99201-0305 |
| Counsel for Respondent(s) | |
| | James L. Gress |
| | Gress, Clark, Young and Schoepper |
| | 8705 Sw Nimbus Ave Ste 240 |
| | Beaverton, OR, 97008-7154 |
| | |
| | Anastasia R. Sandstrom |
| | Office of the Attorney General of Washington |
| | 800 5th Ave Ste 2000 |
| | Seattle, WA, 98104-3188 |
View the Slip Opinion(s) Filed for this Case.
View a Printer Friendly Version of this Opinion Information Sheet.
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