Youthful offenders
Washington Supreme Court:
Youthful offenders – Failure to meaningfully consider the mitigating qualities of youth in sentencing when requested is an abuse of discretion. A youthful defendant need not present any evidence to support a claim of youthfulness. Defendants need not object to preserve the error, nor need they allege ineffective assistance of counsel to appeal a failure to meaningfully consider the mitigating qualities of youth. Although the court must consider youthfulness, the court retains the discretion to not grant a mitigated sentence. State v. Ellis, No. 102378-2 (November 13, 2025).
Restitution – When restitution is solely compensatory, it is not “punishment” for the purposes of the excessive fines clause. State v. Ellis, No. 102378-2 (November 13, 2025).