This “In Remembrance” section lists WSBA members by bar number and date of death. The list is not complete and contains only those notices of which the WSBA has learned through correspondence from members. Please email notices to wabarnews@wsba.org.
Find obituaries from past issues of Bar News here.
Maris Baltins
#9107, 10/2/2025
Maris Baltins was born on Dec. 1, 1944, to parents Arturs Baltins and Ksenija Baltins in a displaced persons camp in Dux, Czechoslovakia. Baltins’ parents had escaped the Soviet invasion of Latvia earlier that year by fleeing in the middle of the night with Baltins’ two older brothers. He spent the first five years of his life as a refugee until 1949, when he and his family immigrated to the U.S. under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948. Baltins attended Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., and joined the U.S. Marine Corps after graduation. In 1966, he was deployed to Vietnam, and in 1968, he was honorably discharged. Baltins earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a J.D. and a Masters of Laws in tax law from Georgetown University. In 1969, Baltins met Maiji Mickelson, also a child of Latvian immigrants. The pair married in 1973 and spent more than 50 years together. Baltins is described as fiercely loyal, selfless, fearless, and adventurous. He loved making friends, traveling, and learning history. Baltins is survived by his wife, Maija; his children, Maris, Mikelis, and Maija; his grandchildren, William, Mila, Mateus, and Coen; and his older brother, Aldis.
Raymond Givens
#36029, 2/16/2025
Raymond “Ray” Givens was born on Feb. 5, 1946, in Spokane to parents Raymond D. Givens and Allee Conway. Givens was strongly influenced by his family’s legal legacy. His grandfather, Raymond Lewellen Givens, served 30 years on the Idaho Supreme Court, and his father and uncle both had distinguished legal careers. Givens grew up in Boise, Idaho. He attended the University of Idaho, earning a degree in history. After graduation, he served two years in the U.S. Army and then earned his J.D. from the University of Idaho School of Law. Givens passed the bar in 1974 and, along with Ernest Sanchez, founded one of Idaho’s first legal aid offices in Caldwell, where he provided free civil legal representation to low-income clients. In 1975, Givens opened a legal aid office in Coeur d’Alene. There, he met Jeanne Iyall, whom he married in 1978. Together, the couple was passionate about social justice, civil rights, and Native sovereignty in Idaho, Alaska, and the Northwest. For much of his legal career, Givens practiced civil rights and public interest law, Indian law, and environmental law. He litigated many high-profile voting rights, water rights, and employment rights cases. He also represented the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in many matters including pollution cleanup, gaming, and taxation. One of Givens’ most significant victories was before the U.S. Supreme Court, where he helped return ownership of the southern third of Lake Coeur d’Alene to the Tribe. Givens later represented the Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakama Nation in litigation. He is described as a loving husband and father, a sports enthusiast, and an avid reader. He took great interest in politics and loved traveling with his wife and spending time with family. Givens was preceded in death by his son, Joe, and his parents. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; his daughter, Maria; his sister, Margaret; and many other family members.
William Scharnikow
#2184, 10/11/2025
William Scharnikow earned his undergraduate degree and law degree from the University of Washington. He served as assistant attorney general in Washington for more than 10 years until 1980, when he joined the firm of Prediletto, Halpin, Scharnikow and Nelson in Yakima. The majority of Scharnikow’s legal practice included workers’ compensation, social security disability, and personal injury law. He was a past chairman of the Washington State Trial Lawyers’ Association and a frequent CLE presenter and author for Trial News. Scharnikow died on Oct. 11, 2025.
Justice Richard P. Guy
#3973, 10/27/25
Justice Richard P. Guy was born on Oct. 24, 1932. He earned his J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law. Early in his legal career, he worked as a deputy prosecutor for Spokane County, then as a Spokane County Superior Court judge from 1977 to 1981 and again starting in 1985. Guy was appointed to the Washington Supreme Court in 1989 by Gov. Booth Gardner and then ran for election to the court in 1990, defeating former Gov. John Spellman. Guy continued serving on the Supreme Court until he retired in 2001. He served as chief justice from 1998 to 2001. Guy was vocal about funding trial courts and increasing access to justice. He received the Outstanding Judge Award from the WSBA in 2000, the Herbert Harley Award from the American Judicature Society, the Jurist of the Year award from the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Gonzaga Law Medal in 2017. After retiring from the Supreme Court, Guy worked in mediation and teaching. He also served on the WSBA’s Access to Justice Board Steering Committee and Judicial & Court Administration Committee from 2001 to 2004. Guy was preceded in death by his wife, Lynn Kaiser Guy. He is survived by his children, Victoria, Heidi, and Emily; his grandchildren, Jessica, Soheila, and Ciara; and his great-grandchild Trenton.