William L. Downing
Encyclopedia
William L. Downing is a judge
of the Superior Court
of Washington for King County
(Seattle) and a former deputy prosecutor
. He is famous for his ruling that same-sex marriage
s are legal in Washington, as well as for the prosecutions of the Wah Mee massacre
killers.
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Superior Court
King County Superior Court
King County Superior Court, the largest trial court in Washington state, is based at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, in downtown Seattle, Washington. It also operates a juvenile facility and a Regional Justice Center in Kent, southeast of Seattle....
of Washington for King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
(Seattle) and a former deputy prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
. He is famous for his ruling that same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
s are legal in Washington, as well as for the prosecutions of the Wah Mee massacre
Wah Mee massacre
The Wah Mee massacre was a mulitiple homicide on February 18, 1983, in which Kwan Fai "Willie" Mak, Wai-Chiu "Tony" Ng, and Benjamin Ng gunned down 14 people in the Wah Mee gambling club. Thirteen of their victims lost their lives, but one survived to testify against the three in the high-profile...
killers.
External links
- Text of same-sex marriage decision
- http://www.seattlepi.com/local/185153_judge06.html?searchpagefrom=3&searchdiff=16
- http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001997223_downing05m.html