The state Attorney General’s Office has filed 37 lawsuits against the Trump administration since January, averaging more than one lawsuit per week.

The attorney general’s office said in a Sept. 10 news release that the lawsuits aim to safeguard civil rights, state interests and more than $14 billion in federal funding tied to critical public services across the state.

Summaries of the lawsuits and links to the case dockets are now available via the attorney general’s Federal Litigation Tracker.

The lawsuits, detailed in publicly available summaries and case dockets, target a wide range of federal actions that state officials allege are illegal or unconstitutional. The attorney general’s office asserts these legal challenges are essential to protecting Washingtonians from harm caused by federal policies and to ensuring compliance with state and federal law.

Nick Brown

Attorney General Nick Brown’s office cites three criteria for bringing such suits, including the legality of the administration’s actions, direct harm to Washington residents or institutions, and the necessity of litigation to defend state interests.

The attorney general’s office pointed out that at a similar point during Trump’s first term, Washington had filed 13 lawsuits.

Under state law, the attorney general holds broad authority to sue on behalf of the state’s residents and government agencies.

“This president refuses to follow the Constitution and abide by the rule of law. Fortunately, states like Washington are fighting to ensure our foundational principles and rights are protected,” Brown said. “Whether it’s attacks on workers, students, public safety, the environment, immigrants or other core pieces of our communities, this office has an excellent team passionate about safeguarding Washingtonians’ rights. Together, we’re working every day to defend Washington law and help get the state through these times.”

Brown ran for the state’s top lawyer as a Democrat in 2024, against Republican Pete Serrano, the former mayor Pasco who recently was named to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. Serrano won the majority of votes in Benton (65%) and Franklin  (64%) counties during the 2024 general election.