WA State Supreme Court Declines to Hear PAC-12 Appeal

The news broke late Friday, but it appears to be a setback for UW and the other 9 schools who are leaving the PAC-12 Conference.

  WA State Supreme Court declines to hear appeal.

The Court, according to The Center Square, has declined to hear an appeal challenging the control of the PAC-12 (and its assets) by WSU and Oregon State.

A lower court judge, Whitman County Superior Court Judge Gary Libey, ruled on November 14th. that the two schools are the sole ‘controlling’ partners of the conference.

According to The Center Square:

“In Friday’s order, Chief Justice Steven C. Gonzalez wrote that a majority of justices decided against granting review of the UW and Pac-12 emergency motions. The order also restored a preliminary injunction which allows only Schulz and Murthy to be recognized as voting members of the conference’s board of directors.”

Schultz and Murthy refer to WSU President Kirk Schulz and OSU President Jayathi Murthy.  The refusal to consider the appeal will, for now, continue to deny UW and the other 9 schools their board membership and voting rights.

WSU and OSU have a lawsuit against PAC-12 and Commissioner George Kliavkoff claiming the schools who are leaving forfeited their rights to control operations, address liabilities, and distribute assets.