# Ranchers want a jury. Washington state offers a board

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ranchers-want-a-jury-washington-state-offers-a-board/
- Published: 2026-11-11T16:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T16:27:45+00:00
- Original publisher: Washington Examiner (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op-eds/4798932/jury-trial-civil-penalties-washington-wetlands/
- Topics: Politics

## Key points

- Washington fined ranchers $267,540 over alleged wetland damage.
- The Kings say they maintained ponds used to water cattle.
- They want a jury to decide the dispute.

## Summary

Washington ranchers Wade and Teresa King are challenging a $267,540 fine imposed by the state Department of Ecology in February 2023. The state says they disturbed protected wetlands; the Kings say they were maintaining stockwater ponds, and want a jury to decide the dispute.

The case raises a broader question about who should determine the facts when a state seeks civil penalties. The article’s author argues that citizens should decide such disputes rather than a state board, while noting the land has been worked by the King family since the 1950s.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.