Value Village

February 23

The Washington State Supreme Court issues its opinion, affirming the Court of Appeals and remanding for the dismissal of the State’s claims.

September 9

TINA.org filed an amici curiae brief in the Washington State Supreme Court supporting the state regulators who sued TVI, Inc., d/b/a Value Village.

TINA.org was joined by First Amendment expert and Harvard Law School professor Rebecca Tushnet, as well as the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice.

December 20

The Washington Attorney General petitioned the state’s Supreme Court to review the case.

August 16

The Court of Appeals overturned the trial court’s decision, determining that it had applied the wrong standard and that Value Village’s marketing was “inextricably intertwined” with protected speech (in this case, speech soliciting charitable contributions) and thus deserving of full constitutional protection.

November 21

The King County Superior Court ruled in favor of the state of Washington and found that Value Village knowingly engaged in deceptive advertising by misleading consumers into thinking it was a charity.

December 20

The Washington Attorney General sued TVI Inc., d/b/a Value Village, a for-profit corporation generating over $1 billion in annual revenue, for deceptively marketing itself to look like a charity.