Mark Sidran Subject Files, 1990-2002

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Law Dept.
Title
Mark Sidran Subject Files
Dates
1990-2002 (inclusive)
Quantity
13.4 cubic feet, (34 boxes)
Collection Number
4400-02
Summary
Records from Mark Sidran's tenure as Seattle's city attorney.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Born in 1951, Mark Sidran grew up in Seattle's Seward Park neighborhood, attending Franklin High School and serving as president of his senior class. After earning a BA in government at Harvard, he received his law degree from the University of Washington in 1976. He worked for the King County Prosecutor's Office from 1975 to 1985, and was a partner in the law firm of McKay & Gaitain from 1986 to 1989. In 1990, he became Seattle's City Attorney, holding that office through 2001.

During Sidran's tenure, one of his signature issues was the impoundment of cars of people caught driving with suspended licenses. He endorsed the law as promoting responsibility and increasing public safety, while his critics claimed the practice disproportionately affected the poor. Sidran's advocacy of "civility laws" - ordinances outlawing aggressive panhandling and sitting on sidewalks - caused a great deal of controversy, as did his crackdowns on problem nightclubs.

In 2001, Sidran chose to run for mayor instead of seeking a fourth term as city attorney. After losing the mayoral race to Greg Nickels, Sidran practiced with McKay Chadwell and served as chair of the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission. He ran unsuccessfully for Washington State Attorney General in 2004.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Sidran's subject files cover the routine work of the City Attorney's Office as well as specific programs and priorities of the agency during his tenure. A program to impound the cars of persons caught driving with suspended licenses is documented extensively. His office's work on problem nightclubs is also covered, including both general policy initiatives and files on specific clubs. Materials on the street civility laws include a good deal of correspondence and feedback from citizens and businesses. Other topics covered in depth include parks exclusion, land use code enforcement, graffiti, and liquor issues.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Mark Sidran Subject Files, Record Series 4400-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

4400-02:  Mark Sidran Subject Files, 1990-2002Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Abandoned Cars
1999
1/2
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs)
1998
1/3
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs)
1998
1/4
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs)
1998
1/5
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs)
1999
1/6
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs)
1999
1/7
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs) - Background Material
1998
1/8
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs) - Coughenour Ruling
1999
1/9
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs) - Drafts
1998
1/10
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs) - Hearing
1999
2/1
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs) - News Articles
1998
2/2
Added Activities Ordinance (Nightclubs) - Work Group
1998-1999
2/3
Administrative Warrants
1994-1995
2/4
Adult Entertainment
1998
2/5
Adult Justice Operational Master Plan (AJOMP)
2000
2/6
Affirmative Action
1992-1997
2/7
Animal Issues
1998
2/8
Annual Report Drafts
1993-1995
2/9
Art Bar / Club Capo
2001
2/10
Articles by Sidran
1991-1992
2/11
Audits
1993-2001
2/12
Audits - Misdemeanor Warrants
1998
2/13
Ballard Construction and Tri-State Construction
1990
2/14
Baseball Stadium
1996
2/15
Lillie Bell
1995
3/1
Lillie Bell
1995-1996
3/2
Bicycle Trails
1994-1998
3/3
Bond Counsel
1996
3/4
Cable Television
1992-1998
3/5
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1993-1994
3/6
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1994
3/7
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1994
3/8
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1994
3/9
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1994
4/1
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1994
4/2
Celebrity Italian Kitchen
1994-1998
4/3
Chronic Public Inebriates
1996-1997
4/4
Chronic Public Inebriates
1997-1998
4/5
Chronic Public Inebriates
1998-1999
4/6
City Council
1998-1999
4/7
Civic Center (City Hall)
1998-2000
4/8
Civil Division
-
4/9
Civil Enforcement
1997-1998
4/10
Civil Enforcement
1998
5/1
Civil Enforcement
1999-2001
5/2
Civil Rights Act of 1997
1997
5/3
Civil Rights, Office of
2000-2001
5/4
Claims
1999
5/5
Claims
2000
5/6
Comet Lodge Cemetery
1998
5/7
Community Diversion Project
1993-1997
5/8
COMPASS
2000
5/9
Conformity Legislation (DWI)
1998
5/10
Congratulations
1994-1999
5/11
Contracts
1998-1999
5/12
Crime and Statistics
1997
5/13
Crime and Statistics
1998
5/14
Crime and Statistics
1999
5/15
Crime and Statistics
2000
5/16
Criminal Division (Jan-Feb)
1998
6/1
Criminal Division (Mar-July)
1998
6/2
Criminal Division (Aug)
1998
6/3
Criminal Division (Sept)
1998
6/4
Criminal Division (Oct-Dec)
1998
6/5
Criminal Division
1999
6/6
Criminal Division
2000-2001
6/7
Criminal Division - Statement of Legislative Intent
1995-1997
6/8
Curfews
1997
6/9
Deebach v. City
1991
6/10
Delegation of Authority
1999
6/11
Directors Meetings
1998
7/1
Dog Bites
1998-1999
7/2
Dog Bites - Citizen Letters
1999
7/3
Domestic Violence
1997
7/4
Domestic Violence
1998
7/5
Domestic Violence
1999
7/6
Domestic Violence
2000
7/7
Domestic Violence
2001
7/8
Domestic Violence - Awards
2000
7/9
Domestic Violence Council
1999
7/10
Drinking in Public
1995
7/11
Drinking in Public
1996
7/12
Drinking in Public - Parks Exclusion
1995-1996
7/13
Drinking in Public - Parks Exclusion
1997
7/14
DWI / DUI
1993
7/15
DWI / DUI
1995
8/1
DWI / DUI
1997-2001
8/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1996
8/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1996
8/4
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1996-1998
8/5
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1997
8/6
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1997
8/7
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1997
9/1
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1998
9/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1999
9/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1999-2000
9/4
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
1999-2001
9/5
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
2000
9/6
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
2000-2001
10/1
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law
2000-2001
10/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Accidents
1999
10/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Car Recovery Clinic
2002
10/4
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Car Recovery Study
2001
10/5
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Citations and Forms
2000
10/6
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - City Council
1999-2000
10/7
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Court Challenges
1999
10/8
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Court Decisions
1999-2000
10/9
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Decriminalization
2000
10/10
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Drive to Survive
1999-2000
11/1
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Driver Records
1997-1999
11/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Driver Records
1999-2000
11/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Forum
2000
11/4
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Greer / Taylor
1999
11/5
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Handouts
1998
11/6
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Hearing
1999
11/7
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Implementation
1996-1997
11/8
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Implementation
1998
11/9
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Implementation
1998-1999
11/10
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Implementation
1998-1999
12/1
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Implementation
2000
12/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - King County Diversion Project
2000
12/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Municipal Court
2000
12/4
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Parking Scofflaws
1994-1998
12/5
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Presentations
1998-2001
12/6
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Presentations
1999-2001
12/7
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Press
1997-1999
12/8
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Press
1999-2001
12/9
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Press Conference
1998
12/10
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Public Defenders
2000
12/11
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Public Information and Education Plan
1999
12/12
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Relicensing Summit
1999-2000
12/13
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Repeal
2000
12/14
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Requests for Information
1998-1999
13/1
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Statistics
1999
13/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Statistics
1999
13/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Statistics
2000
13/4
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Statistics
2000
13/5
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Studies
1997
13/6
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Study Proposal
1999
13/7
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Towing
1998
13/8
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Towing
1999
13/9
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Towing - Work Group
1998
13/10
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Towing - Work Group
1998-1999
14/1
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Traffic Safety Conference
1999
14/2
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Vehicle Forfeiture
1996-1998
14/3
Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) / Impound Law - Worksheets
1999
14/4
Drugs
1990-1998
14/5
Drugs - Abatement
1998
14/6
Drugs - Abatement
1998
14/7
Drugs - Drug Testing
1997-2000
14/8
Drugs - Drug Traffic Loitering
1990-1992
14/9
Drugs - Nuisance Abatement - DOJ Investigation
1999-2000
14/10
Elevated Transportation Company / Monorail
2001
14/11
Employment Section
1998
14/12
Employment Section
1999
14/13
Employment Section
2000
15/1
Environmental Protection
1998-2001
15/2
Ethics and Elections
1995-2001
15/3
Ethics Complaint
1999
15/4
Failure to Appear (FTA)
1998
15/5
Failure to Appear (FTA)
1999-2000
15/6
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
1992-1996
15/7
Filing and Disposition Standards
1994-1995
15/8
Filing and Disposition Standards
1996
15/9
Fire Department
1996-1997
15/10
Firearms
1990-1994
15/11
Firearms
1995-1998
15/12
Firearms - Gun Manufacturers Lawsuit
1998-1999
15/13
Firearms - Trigger Locks
2000
15/14
First Offender Prostitution Program
1998
15/15
Fremont Fair Bicyclists
1999-2000
15/16
Graffiti
1993-1996
16/1
Graffiti
1995-2000
16/2
Graffiti
1996-1998
16/3
Graffiti - Criminal Cases
1995-1998
16/4
Graffiti - Ordinance
1995
16/5
Graffiti - Ordinance Support
1995-1996
16/6
Graffiti - Other Cities
1995-1996
16/7
Graffiti - Press
1995-1996
16/8
Graffiti - Press Conference
1995
16/9
Graffiti - Solid Waste Info
1995-1996
16/10
Grievances
1993
16/11
Grievances
1996-1998
17/1
Grievances
1999
17/2
Happy Valley Restaurant
1995-1997
17/3
Hearing Examiner
2000
17/4
Victor Herman
1998-1999
17/5
Kurt Hettiger
1993-1998
17/6
Dan Van Ho
1997
17/7
John Hoff
1996
17/8
Homeless
1991-1996
17/9
Homeless
1998-2000
17/10
Idea Team
1995
17/11
Iguana Cantina
1998
17/12
Iguana Cantina
1998
17/13
Iguana Cantina
1998
18/1
Information Technology
1999
18/2
Initiative 41 / Monorail
1997-2000
18/3
Initiative 45 / Libraries
1999
18/4
Initiative 46 / Poster Ban
1999
18/5
Initiatives 47 and 48 / Light Rail
1999
18/6
Initiative 50 / Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board
1999
18/7
Initiative 51 / Citizens Police Review Commission
2000
18/8
Initiative 53 / Monorail
2000
18/9
Initiative 200 / Affirmative Action
1998-1999
18/10
Initiative 695 / Car Tabs
1999
18/11
Initiative 722 / Tax Limits
2000
18/12
Inquests
1999
18/13
International Municipal Lawyers Association
2000
18/14
Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA)
1998-1999
18/15
Jail Costs and Transportation
1996-1999
18/16
Jaywalking
1996-1997
18/17
Jersey's Sports Bar
1992-1998
18/18
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC)
1999
18/19
Juvenile Justice
1998-2000
18/20
Key Arena
1996
18/21
Key Tower
1995-1996
18/22
Lake Union Steam Plant
1992
19/1
Land Use Code Enforcement
1995-1996
19/2
Land Use Code Enforcement
1997
19/3
Land Use Code Enforcement
1998
19/4
Land Use Code Enforcement
1998
19/5
Land Use Code Enforcement
1999
19/6
Land Use Code Enforcement
1999
19/7
Land Use Code Enforcement
2000
19/8
Land Use Code Enforcement - Nuisance Properties (Roosevelt)
1999
19/9
Land Use Code Enforcement - Nuisance Properties (Roosevelt)
1999
20/1
Landlord / Tenant Issues
1999-2000
20/2
Landslides
1996-1997
20/3
LEOFF II
1991-1998
20/4
Legislature
1995
20/5
Legislature
1996
20/6
Legislature
1996
20/7
Legislature
1997
20/8
Legislature
1998
20/9
Legislature
1999-2001
20/10
Letters
1999-2001
20/11
Letters from Constituents
1999-2000
21/1
Letters from Constituents
1999-2001
21/2
Letters from Constituents
1999-2001
21/3
Lewd Conduct / Indecent Exposure
1996
21/4
Liquor
1996
21/5
Liquor
1996
21/6
Liquor
1996
21/7
Liquor
1997
21/8
Liquor
1997
21/9
Liquor
1997
22/1
Liquor
1997
22/2
Liquor
1997
22/3
Liquor
1998
22/4
Liquor
1999
22/5
Liquor - Class "R" Liquor License (Sports / Entertainment Facilities)
1998
22/6
Liquor Control Board
1998-2000
22/7
Lobbying
1997-1998
22/8
Lobbying
1999-2000
22/9
Michelle Malkin
1999
22/10
Mayor's Office
1997-2000
22/11
Memos to Clients
1990
23/1
Memos to Clients
1990-1991
23/2
Mental Health Court Work Group
1998
23/3
Mentally Ill Offenders
1997
23/4
Mentally Ill Offenders
1997
23/5
Mentally Ill Offenders
1998-1999
23/6
Mentally Ill Offenders
2000
23/7
Mentor Program
1995-1998
23/8
Metro
1990-1993
23/9
Mighty Movers (Postering Ban)
1999
24/1
Misdemeanant Study
1998-1999
24/2
Misdemeanors Matter
1999
24/3
Monastery
2000
24/4
Monetech
1990
24/5
Municipal Court
1998
24/6
Municipal Law
1998
24/7
Municipal Law
1999
24/8
Municipal Law
2000-2001
24/9
Needle Exchange Program
1990-1996
24/10
Negligent Driving
1995
24/11
Noise
1994-1998
24/12
Noise Ordinance
1999
24/13
Noise Ordinance
1999
24/14
Noise - Press
1999
24/15
Noise - Studio 420
1999
24/16
North Precinct Advisory Council
1996
24/17
Nuts 'n Bolts Inc.
1999
24/18
Office Issues
1998
25/1
Office Policies
1994-1996
25/2
Oscar's II
1998-1999
25/3
Oscar's II
1998-2000
25/4
Oscar's II
1998-2000
25/5
Oscar's II - Legal Documents
1998
25/6
Oscar's II - Legal Documents
1998-2000
25/7
Oscar's II - Legal Documents
1999-2000
25/8
Pacific Place Garage
1994-1999
25/9
Pang Fire
1995-1999
26/1
Panhandling
1991-1992
26/2
Panhandling
1993-1999
26/3
Parks
1998
26/4
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1997
26/5
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1997
26/6
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1997
26/7
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1997-1998
26/8
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1998
26/9
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1998-1999
27/1
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1999
27/2
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1999
27/3
Parks - Enhanced Park Enforcement Ordinance / Parks Exclusion
1999
27/4
Pine Street
1994-1995
27/5
Pioneer Square
2000
27/6
Police Department
1997-1998
27/7
Police Department
1999
27/8
Police Department
2000
27/9
Police Officers' Guild
1990-1998
27/10
Police Pension Board
1991
27/11
Pornography
1998
27/12
Posters
1993-1997
28/1
Posters
1997-1999
28/2
Press Releases
1991-2000
28/3
Pro Bono Policy
1991-1994
28/4
Prostitution
1992-1996
28/5
Public Safety Civil Service Commission
1997
28/6
Public Safety Cluster
1998
28/7
Racial Disparity Issues
1999
28/8
Reorganization
1990
28/9
Reorganization
1990
28/10
Reorganization
1990
28/11
Reorganization
1990
28/12
Reorganization - Preference Sheets
1990
28/13
Retreats
1998
28/14
Risk Management
1992-1998
29/1
Sand Point
1994-1997
29/2
Seattle Center
1990-1998
29/3
Security
1995
29/4
Sexual Harassment
1991-1992
29/5
SODA (Stay Out of Drug Area) Statistics
1998-2001
29/6
Space Plans
1997-1998
29/7
Speeches
1994-1999
29/8
Staff Appreciation
1990-1999
29/9
Stevenson Lawsuit
1997-1998
29/10
Street Civility Laws
1995
29/11
Street Civility Laws
1996
29/12
Street Civility Laws
1997
29/13
Street Civility Laws
1998
29/14
Street Civility Laws
1999-2000
29/15
Street Civility Laws - Background
1993-1997
30/1
Street Civility Laws - Citations
1994
30/2
Street Civility Laws - Downtown
1993
30/3
Street Civility Laws - Downtown
1993
30/4
Street Civility Laws - Downtown
1993
30/5
Street Civility Laws - Downtown
1993
30/6
Street Civility Laws - Downtown
1993
30/7
Street Civility Laws - Downtown
1994
30/8
Street Civility Laws - Letters
1993
30/9
Street Civility Laws - Letters
1993
31/1
Street Civility Laws - Letters
1993
31/2
Street Civility Laws - Letters
1993-1994
31/3
Street Civility Laws - Press
1993-1996
31/4
Street Civility Laws - Press
1995-1996
31/5
Street Civility Laws - Press
1997-2001
31/6
Street Civility Laws - Roulette v. Seattle
1993-1994
31/7
Street Civility Laws - Roulette v. Seattle
1994
31/8
Street Civility Laws - Roulette v. Seattle
1994-1996
31/9
Street Use
1998
31/10
Support Letters
1993-2000
31/11
Makato Suzuki
1999
32/1
Symphony Hall
1994-1996
32/2
Teen Dance Ordinance
1998-2000
32/3
Teen Dance Ordinance
2000
32/4
Teen Dance Ordinance
2000
32/5
Tent City (Homeless)
1998-2001
32/6
Tobacco
1991
32/7
Douglas Tooley
1999
32/8
Torts
1998
32/9
Torts
1998
32/10
Torts
1999
32/11
Torts
1999
33/1
Torts
2000
33/2
Torts
2001
33/3
Towing - Time Payments and Promissory Notes
1991
33/4
Training
1991-1996
33/5
Training Materials
1998
33/6
Utilities
1998-2001
33/7
Vehicle Prowl Task Force
1996-1998
33/8
Vending / Sidewalk Vendors
1993-1994
33/9
Vending / Sidewalk Vendors
1994-1998
33/10
Warrants
1996-1998
33/11
Washington Council on Crime and Delinquency
1999
33/12
Wins
1990-1991
33/13
Women's and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) Ordinance
1990
33/14
WTO Protests
2000
33/15
Audio: KUOW interview re: Iguana Cantina
1998

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Alcohol--Law and legislation--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Begging--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Crime--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Criminal justice, Administration of--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Criminal law--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Drivers' licenses--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Family violence--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Homeless persons--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Initiatives in local government--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Land use--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Noise control--Law and legislation--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Nuisances--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Sidran, Mark Harris

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Law Dept.

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)