Adam P. Karp: Animal Law Offices of Adam P. Karp, Bellingham, WA
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Adam P. Karp: Animal Law Offices of Adam P. Karp, Bellingham, WA.
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Adam P. Karp: Animal Law Offices of Adam P. Karp,
Bellingham, WA
[By Kenneth Davis]
Adam Karp’s decision to practice animal law was motivated by a personal life change. In 1999, he became a vegetarian and then
a vegan.
“I got more into animal rights and then Jayson Anderson (20). The cat had to be Spokane Superior Court Judge Jerome
realized that there was an absence in the euthanized due to severe injuries. Karp’s Leveque awarded Womack $5,000 for the
legal profession for advancing the interests client, Bernadette Womack, filed a lawsuit value of Max and her emotional distress, but
of animals,” he said. “So [it] made sense against the three for several causes of he dismissed various claims, including one
to me to take what was personal and make action, including a civil animal cruelty for outrage. Karp and Womack appealed
it professional.” claim. Von Rardon’s and Brumback’s Leveque’s ruling to the Washington Court of
parents were also named in the lawsuit Appeals, claiming that he erred in several
Karp has taken on animal law cases since for negligent supervision of their sons. respects. The Court of Appeals recognized
he first began practicing law seven years The Brumbacks and Womack settled out a new cause of action for those whose
ago. He said he handled his first real of court, but Womack obtained a default companion animals have been maliciously
litigation case in 2000, and the following judgment against the remaining defendants. injured or killed. As a result of this decision,
year, he opened his own law office in state criminal law and civil law have both
Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle. He changed with regard to animal cruelty.
said that at that time 75 percent of his
Advice to Young Lawyers
practice was animal law, and the remainder “The court recognized a new cause of action
“Well, for those who want to do
was collections. Karp said the collection for malicious injury to a pet, and that was
this, there are so many variables,”
work entailed “getting small judgments for big,” Karp said. “There is no analog of
Karp said. “If that’s all they want
[people] and then garnishing wages and malicious injury to a toaster, for example.”
to do, then they need to be careful
things like that.” In 2003, he began taking
about how they proceed. They need
on animal law cases exclusively. In a dangerous dog appeal, Mansour v.
to be very calculating in the sense
[that] there isn’t much of a demand King County, Karp’s client’s dog, Maxine,
Karp discussed his practice:
yet, I think, to support thousands was accused of killing a neighbor’s cat.
of us. So that means if you’re going Karp said there were no eyewitnesses, and
“I do all animal law,” he said. “So I’d break it
to do it, you need to either do it as the evidence that he presented created
down into about 80 percent injury and death
an incidental part of your practice, significant doubt as to whether the dog
claims, and the remainder, well, maybe
take a few cases here and there, or killed the cat or simply came upon the cat
5-plus percent custody disputes. And the
pro bono it. Or do it all or nothing already injured by another animal or hit by a
rest of it’s just sort of a mix of dangerous
and grab a geographical area and vehicle. King County Animal Control issued
dog appeals, constitutional issues, initiatives,
hit it hard... because you’re going an order requiring that Karp’s client, Peter
referenda, animal rights, standing, criminal
to rely on a larger geographical Mansour, remove his dog from King County
prosecution…more of a private prosecutor
base than, say, a PI [personal or give her up to be euthanized. The King
kind of role. That would be the balance of it.”
County Board of Appeals upheld that order,
injury] lawyer will because
and the superior court granted summary
Karp has been involved in several landmark there are people getting injured
judgment for the county, affirming the
animal law cases. In May, he won a major everywhere. But not everybody
board’s decision. On appeal, Karp argued
decision in the Washington Court of Appeals. has an animal case, so you need to
that the board violated his client’s due
The case, Womack v. Von Rardon, involved either go to a metropolitan center,
process rights. In January, Division One of
his client’s cat, Max. The cat was abducted or if you’re in the outskirts, extend
the Washington Court of Appeals reversed
from his client’s property and then set on your influence throughout a whole
the King County Court of Appeals’ decision to
fire in a middle school field by Rusty von state or region.”
uphold King County Animal Control’s order
Rardon and Jason Brumback (both 7) and
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declaring the dog vicious and demanding “I think it was more of [a] default,” he think, to support thousands of us. So that
her removal from King County within 48 said. “I just liked my college classes on the means if you’re going to do it, you need to
hours. The Court of Appeals agreed that the Constitution [and] civil rights, and I didn’t either do it as an incidental part of your
board violated Mansour’s procedural due really know what else to do.” practice, take a few cases here and there, or
process rights because he wasn’t allowed to pro bono it. Or do it all or nothing and grab
subpoena witnesses and records. (In order In 995, Karp graduated with honors from a geographical area and hit it hard…because
for pet owners to effectively present their Gonzaga University in Spokane with a you’re going to rely on a larger geographical
cases and rebut evidence against them, degree in political science. He earned base than, say, a PI [personal injury] lawyer
due process requires that they be able to his law degree from the University of will because there are people getting
subpoena witnesses and records.) Mansour Washington School of Law in 998. Karp injured everywhere. But not everybody has
v. King County is important because its then went on to complete a master’s degree an animal case, so you need to either go
outcome could affect how animals deemed to in science and statistics at the University of to a metropolitan center, or if you’re in the
be vicious are treated by courts. Washington in 2000. outskirts, extend your influence throughout
a whole state or region.”
“I tried to subpoena witnesses and medical Karp also teaches animal law. He’s an
records, and they refused,” Karp said. adjunct professor of animal law at both the In addition to running his law practice and
“So I wasn’t able to get the full veterinary University of Washington School of Law and teaching, Karp writes regularly for bar
record or the X-rays. I couldn’t put on my Seattle University School of Law. However, association bulletins on the topic of animal
own expert because I didn’t have those he admitted that teaching is not one of his law and routinely speaks to groups across
records. The burden of proof was placed favorite things. the country on the subject. He’s also a vice
on us to prove that we were innocent, chair of the American Bar Association’s
basically, which is not how it’s supposed “You know, I don’t really enjoy it that Animal Law Committee. And in 2002,
to work. So it was a mess, but the Court of much,” he said. “I know it sounds crazy, he founded the Washington State Bar
Appeals clarified it. It was a very positive but the reason is that I’m a solo, and I’m Association’s Animal Law Section.
constitutional type of decision.” overwhelmed. I’m doing it more because
I think I need to. It’s sort of more I feel Karp occasionally appears on radio and
In May of last year, Karp won $45,480 for obligated to do it, to share information with television shows. He appeared on Seattle
one of his clients in the Seattle District the new generation and encourage them.” television personality Tony Ventrella’s show
Court. The judgment was for the death of his back in 2003. He was also featured in TIME
client’s 2-year-old cat, Yofi, who was killed Karp said that in the last 0 to 5 years, magazine a few years ago, in an article
by a neighbor’s dog. The award is believed animal law has become increasingly popular discussing an animal custody case.
to be the largest in the history of the State of among law students.
Washington relating to the wrongful death of Karp said what he enjoys most about his job
a nonhuman companion. It is also believed “There are probably 70 law schools offering as an animal law attorney is the challenge
to be the largest award in the nation relating it…Harvard, Yale, George Washington, it presents.
to the death of a cat. Georgetown, everyone,” he said. “And then
you have the Student Animal Legal Defense “It’s […] the challenge of trying to move
“The $45,000 judgment was significant Fund chapters, and I’d say there are the law forward,” he said. “Many attorneys
[…] because it signifies symbolically that probably more.” spend their lives just applying existing
the value of a person’s companion animal law, and that’s important […]. But I’m not
He had the following advice for law students excited about that. I’m more interested
is immense,” he said. “It’s not just ‘buy
who are interested in going into animal law: at the academic level and trying to create
another one for 50 bucks and go home.’
[That’s] not an appropriate response. This new causes of action or allow the law to be
“Well, for those who want to do this, there
judge essentially honored the bound.” more flexible and compassionate. Then it’ll
are so many variables,” he explained. “If
be applied incidentally to the animal[s] in
that’s all they want to do, then they need to
Karp said his decision to go to law school question or the people who care for them.
be careful about how they proceed. They
did not stem from a lifelong ambition to But that’s really the thirst. That’s what
need to be very calculating in the sense
become a lawyer. drives me; it’s being able to try to craft the
[that] there isn’t much of a demand yet, I
law in better directions.”
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Karp and his wife, who runs a court reporter “Every day there’s a new issue, a new ON THE NET
agency, have several cats that they treat on a challenge,” he said. “And I’m always looking
regular basis. for an angle that will move the law in a Animal Law Offices of Adam P. Karp
beneficent direction, so there’s no big master www.animal-lawyer.com
“They’re older and require a lot of daily care, plan I have. And from a vegan standpoint,
University of Washington School of Law
which is worth it,” he said. I’d love for every slaughterhouse to be shut
www.law.washington.edu
down and all fur facilities [to be] destroyed.
Karp discussed some of his hopes and goals And my Utopian vision is that animals will Washington State Bar Association’s Animal
for the future. never be used again against their will.” Law Section
www.wsba.org/lawyers/groups/animallaw
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