SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson's long-running legal case against the thrift store chain Savers Value Village turned out to be no bargain, as the state has been ordered to pay the company nearly $4.3 million in legal fees.
King County Superior Court Judge David Whedbee issued the award on Tuesday, eight months after the state Supreme Court unanimously rejected the attorney general's claims that marketing practices by the thrift store chain were deceptive.
“Defending and fully prevailing in this lawsuit was burdensome and costly,” Richard Medway, Savers Value Village general counsel, said in an emailed statement.
Savers Value Village paid $580 million to charitable partners globally in the five years ending in 2022 and kept 3.2 billion pounds of goods out of landfills, the company said.
Two of the major charities it works with in Washington — Northwest Center, which supports people with disabilities, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound — had urged the attorney general’s office to drop the case.
Persons:
Bob Ferguson's, David Whedbee, general's, Richard Medway, Ferguson —, —, Puget Sound —, Ferguson's, Whedbee, Brionna, Aho
Organizations:
SEATTLE, Democrat, Value, Center, Big Brothers, Puget Sound
Locations:
King, Bellevue , Washington, U.S, Canada, Australia, Washington —