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Meet Garth Jones
Garth Jones has a reputation as the firm’s master of appellate court brief writing and research. He also authors briefs at the trial level and has been instrumental in developing the Washington Pattern Jury Instructions.

Before joining the firm, Garth served as legal analyst with the Office of the Administrator for the Courts in Olympia. His work greatly contributed to the creation of the Washington Supreme Court Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions.

Practice Areas
Plaintiff's personal injury, appellate work, legal research and writing

Examples from Garth’s Case Files
Insurance Bad Faith – Appeals

Insurance Company v. Doe, 151 Wa.2d 512, 91 P.3d 864 (2004)

Our firm pursued an appeal involving the cancellation of insurance policies by a hospital and its insurer after our client had passed away from medical negligence after surgery. The hospital went bankrupt and we challenged the right of the hospital and insurers to cancel its policies under a state law that prohibits a “retroactive annulment” of the polices after an “occurrence,” including a death. The lower court had ruled that the cancellations were valid because a claim on the policy was not filed until after it was cancelled. The Washington Supreme Court held that the state law made null and void and such cancellation of the policy after a death irrespective of when the claim was filed.

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Product Liability

Smith, et. al. v. Behr Process Corporation

$67.5 million class action verdict

Several Western Washington homeowners and business people had mildew on their exterior wood walls after using a Behr clear coating, a product the manufacturer claimed would prevent mildew growth. We pulled together the class-action case on behalf of nine plaintiffs, and Behr was charged with breach of warranty and Consumer Protection Act violations. The initial case grew to national status, and in an October 2002 settlement, Behr agreed to compensate consumers more than $107 million. In addition, some 5,000 Western Washington homeowners shared an additional $55 million to repair their mildew-damaged homes. Garth was a vital team member when the defendants appealed the decision.

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Brain Injury/Product Defect

Soproni v. Polygon Apartments

A 20-month-old boy fell from an apartment’s second-story window onto a concrete patio. His head injuries caused permanent and severe neurological damage. The boy’s mother sought damages against the window manufacturer. In an appeal to the Washington State Supreme Court, the mother’s case overturned lower courts’ decisions and sent the case back to trial to resolve whether the window’s design created an unreasonably dangerous condition.

Memberships
• Grays Harbor County Bar Association
• Washington State Bar Association
• Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
• Trial Lawyers for Public Justice

Education
Brigham Young University, J.D., 1984
Brigham Young University, B.S., 1979

Outside the Office
Garth and his three children spend time together in water activities, hiking and traveling. Garth is also an accomplished guitarist who enjoys playing music with friends and at social gatherings.