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Scott Edwards

Nonpartisan · WA · Partner at Ballard Spahr

Official website

Scott Edwards is a Ballard Spahr partner and state-and-local tax attorney running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 1 in the 2026 primary. He reports nearly 30 years representing clients in tax planning, administrative disputes, refund claims, and litigation, including matters before the Washington Supreme Court. His official voter statement says he has also taught at the University of Washington School of Law for more than 20 years.

Track record

Election Integrity

· 1 record

  • Scott Edwards criticized the practice of appointing judges after midterm retirements followed by short incumbency before an election, saying it undermines voters' right to elect judges.

    June 19, 2026For

    Source: yournews.com · researched July 13, 2026

General

· 4 records

  • Scott Edwards criticized the current Washington Supreme Court as activist and progressive, saying it too often injects policy preferences into decisions and that he favored a return to the rule of law.

    June 19, 2026

    Source: yournews.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented Superior Energy Services in a Washington use-tax appeal involving an Arctic oil-containment system. The Court of Appeals affirmed the Board of Tax Appeals, reversed the superior court, and held that neither claimed exemption applied.

    May 26, 2026

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented Young's Market Company in an appeal of a Washington business-and-occupation tax assessment. The Court of Appeals affirmed the Board of Tax Appeals and rejected the company's proposed exemption and lower tax classification.

    March 30, 2026

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented plaintiffs challenging Washington's capital-gains tax in Quinn v. State. The Washington Supreme Court reversed the superior court and upheld the tax as a valid excise tax rather than a property tax.

    March 24, 2023

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

Impartiality

· 1 record

  • Asked whether Justice Colleen Melody should recuse from a possible income-tax case, Scott Edwards declined to make a premature judgment, said judges should assess disqualification under the Code of Judicial Conduct, and acknowledged that critics could raise a similar concern about his tax practice.

    June 19, 2026For

    Source: yournews.com · researched July 13, 2026

Integrity and Ethics

· 2 records

  • Asked whether Justice Colleen Melody should recuse from a possible income-tax case, Scott Edwards declined to make a premature judgment, said judges should assess disqualification under the Code of Judicial Conduct, and acknowledged that critics could raise a similar concern about his tax practice.

    June 19, 2026

    Source: yournews.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott Edwards said judges should interpret constitutional and statutory text as written, avoid injecting policy preferences, and enforce constitutional limits on executive and legislative power.

    June 19, 2026

    Source: yournews.com · researched July 13, 2026

Legal Competence

· 6 records

  • Scott Edwards said judges should interpret constitutional and statutory text as written, avoid injecting policy preferences, and enforce constitutional limits on executive and legislative power.

    June 19, 2026For

    Source: yournews.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Chambers USA's 2026 rankings placed Scott Edwards in Band 2 for Washington tax law; Ballard Spahr said the methodology includes client interviews, peer reviews, and independent research into legal ability, professional conduct, service, diligence, and value.

    June 4, 2026For

    Source: ballardspahr.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented Assurance Wireless in its challenge to Washington sales tax on federal Lifeline-program support. The Washington Supreme Court reversed the lower court and held the tax preempted under intergovernmental tax-immunity principles.

    March 7, 2024For

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented LendingTree in a Washington tax-apportionment appeal. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court and held that LendingTree was entitled to apportion receipts using the location of lenders receiving its services.

    March 30, 2020For

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented taxpayers challenging Seattle's graduated income tax in Kunath v. City of Seattle. The Washington Court of Appeals held that the city lacked statutory authority to impose the tax and affirmed the judgment invalidating the ordinance.

    July 15, 2019For

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Scott M. Edwards represented HomeStreet in a Washington Supreme Court tax-refund case. The court reversed the Court of Appeals and ordered the Department of Revenue to refund the disputed business-and-occupation taxes, plus interest and costs.

    June 18, 2009For

    Source: caselaw.findlaw.com · researched July 13, 2026

Elections

Profile last researched July 13, 2026.