The fines stem from Washington's ongoing failures to meet court-ordered deadlines for mental health evaluations and competency restoration services for criminal defendants. The Trueblood case, filed in 2014, challenges the state's practice of keeping mentally ill defendants in jail for months while they wait for psychiatric evaluations and treatment to determine if they're competent to stand trial.
Judge Chun imposed $115,500 in contempt fines for November 2025 violations of in-jail evaluation timelines, but allowed the state to apply a $34,500 credit for 'good cause exceptions' found in a previous court order. 'The Court approves this request,' Chun wrote, reducing the total judgment to $81,000. The judge also noted an additional $8,500 in fines for inpatient and outpatient restoration delays, though those amounts will not be reduced to judgment under the settlement agreement.
The case has been ongoing for over a decade, with the state repeatedly struggling to comply with federal constitutional requirements for timely mental health services. Washington entered into a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs, but continues to face contempt proceedings for missing court-imposed deadlines for evaluations and treatment.
The $81,000 judgment must be paid into the court registry and will bear interest at the federal statutory rate until satisfied. The continuing fines underscore the persistent challenges Washington faces in reforming its mental health system for criminal defendants, with advocates arguing the delays violate due process rights and constitute cruel and unusual punishment.