From Research to Impact: Rule of Law Fellows in Action

The Rule of Law Fellows program was established as an initiative to research and address some of the most pressing issues in today’s legal landscape. The program’s central mission is to produce publicly accessible scholarship that both educates the broader community and advances thoughtful dialogue around the rule of law.

These fellowships pair students with a faculty advisor to explore in-depth topics relevant to the rule of law and surface the findings for laypeople in service of the public good. The materials produced are housed in the UW School of Law Digital Commons under the Rule of Law Initiative for public use. They are intended to broadly educate and advocate for the rule of law.

Examining Washington’s Civil Commitment System

Rule of Law Fellow: Avery E. Tunstill, 3L

Faculty Advisor: Elizabeth Pendo, Kellye Y. Testy Professor of Law and Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs 

I am working with the Garvey Institute for Brain Health Solution and UW Evans School of Public Policy on a multi-disciplinary project related to Washington’s civil commitment system. The project seeks to conduct a comprehensive review of Washington’s civil commitment system to better understand concerns about patient rights and safety. 

In Washington, civil commitment is a civil legal process that allows for court‑ordered evaluation and treatment for individuals experiencing an acute mental health or substance use crisis when specific legal criteria are met. Under the Involuntary Treatment Act, involuntary treatment may be ordered when a person is assessed as presenting a likelihood of serious harm to themselves, others, or others’ property, or as being gravely disabled, and when less restrictive, voluntary treatment options are not appropriate or available.

I am working under Dean Elizabeth Pendo at the School of Law to conduct the legal research part of this project, while the Evans School is conducting a stakeholder analysis.

People subject to involuntary treatment proceedings in Washington State are entitled to significant legal protections, including the right to timely court hearings, representation by counsel at no cost, the ability to present evidence, and the right to seek review or appeal of commitment orders. These protections are embedded in the Involuntary Treatment Act, which establishes detailed procedures governing evaluation, detention, treatment settings, and ongoing judicial oversight.

I created an in-depth review of Washington’s Involuntary Treatment Act and court decisions interpreting the statute and related constitutional issues. Using a therapeutic justice lens, I explored potential changes to civil commitment in Washington, looking at how the law can be more closely tied to supporting patient health outcomes. I also looked at the ability of friends and family to petition for their loved one to be civilly committed, which is a process created by Joel’s Law in Washington. Most recently, I tracked proposed legislative changes to Washington’s Involuntary Treatment Act.

Tax, Technology and the Rule of Law

Rule of Law Fellows: Jasmin Bolte, 3L; Madison Bruner, 3L; Betty Yu, 3L; Ella Van Troba, 3L

Faculty Advisor: Xuan-Thao Nguyen, Pendleton Miller Chair in Law and Director, Asian Law Center

Our cohort of four to six fellows collaborates closely to conduct in-depth research on emerging and impactful legal topics. Under Professor Xuan-Thao Nguyen, our Rule of Law fellowship group has explored a range of topics, including:

• tax-exempt nonprofit organizations under § 501(c)(3)
• innovations in the tax cycle
• human rights and environmental concerns surrounding large-scale data centers
• state and local regulatory frameworks governing data center development
• ESG responsibilities in data center and blockchain infrastructure
• constitutional issues such as emoluments clause violations

To date, we have published our research on Digital Commons and amplified it through the UW Law social media channels, ensuring that it reaches a wide audience. We have shared our findings at UW Law events, including Lunch & Learn programs. In October 2025, we presented a session on “Digital Assets and the Rule of Law” at the Asian Law Center’s Digital Assets 2.0 Symposium, co-presented by the Asian Law Center and The Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts.