Save Columbia CU Committee -- Selected Litigation Documents

Website maintained by Doug Schafer, counsel for SaveCCU.  Last updated on 6/20/2007
All documents are in PDF format, viewable using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.  

Lawsuit #1: February 2004, Clark County Superior Court mandamus action.

SaveCCU, Steve Straub, John Bucholtz, and Robert Tice sought a court order to compel Columbia CU ("CCU") directors to hold a special membership meeting as nearly 3,600 members demanded in their petition to vote on the removal of all nine directors.

Lawsuit #2: March 2004, Clark County Superior Court declaratory judgment action.

SaveCCU, Steve Straub, John Bucholtz, and Robert Tice sought a declaratory judgment on (1) whether CCU's directors were violating its Bylaws section on term limits, (2) whether CCU's directors breached their fiduciary duty by controlling and using CCU's resources and funds to campaign aggressively against their removal by vote of CCU's membership, (3) whether CCU's directors were violating the law by denying members the right to examine CCU's Bylaws and governance related records, (4) whether state law empowers a credit union to convert to a bank, and (5) whether a conversion of a state credit union requires approval by a two-thirds vote (not simply a majority vote) of its members.

Lawsuit #3: July 2006, Clark County Superior Court declaratory judgment action.

CCU directors Cathy Chudy, Kathryn Edgecomb, and Emmy Winterburn ("Minority Directors") sued five (5) fellow directors Mark Ail, Duane Bequette, Robert Byrd, John Cheek, and Steve Straub ("Majority Directors") and CEO Parker Cann seeking a declaratory judgment that the Majority Directors and CEO could not lawfully (1) exclude the Minority Directors from full participation on CCU's board of directors, (2) deny the Minority Directors the right to have their views reflected in meeting minutes that accurately record the proceedings, and (3) deny the Minority Directors access to CCU records and information relevant to their responsibilities. Director Ralph Erdmann supported his fellow Minority Directors but, fearing the hazards of litigation, declined to join in their action.

Lawsuit #4: September 2006, Thurston County Superior Court declaratory judgment action.

SaveCCU, Cathryn Chudy, Kathryn Edgecomb, Lloyd Marbet, and Robert Tice sought a declaratory judgment that the action on 8/15/2006 by CCU's five Majority Directors to expel them was unlawful, and sought an administrative review of the failure of the Department of Financial Institutions to prevent or compel the reversal of those unlawful expulsions.