Trial Postponed to February

The murder trial of a Port Angeles man has been rescheduled for February 9, 2026. Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden approved a delay during a hearing on Friday, January 23, pushing back a start date that had been set for January 26. The request was submitted by defense counsel Lane Wolfley.

The continuance adds cost and ethical concerns to a proceeding already scrutinized over the judge's personal relationship with the attorney he selected to represent the defendant.

Prior Business Ties

The selection of Wolfley has drawn criticism due to his longstanding history with Judge Basden, including their time as partners at the law firm Wolfley, Basden & Hansen in the early 2000s.

Their connection also includes religious affiliation; Judge Basden previously served as the Port Angeles Stake President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while Wolfley has served as a Bishop within the same organization.

Financial ties remain active as well. Wolfley maintains a conflict attorney contract with the Superior Court paying $6,250 per month, alongside the taxpayer-funded rate of $250 per hour he receives for this specific case.

Disciplinary Record

Critics have raised concerns regarding Wolfley's professional history, which includes a three-year suspension from the practice of law following a Washington State Bar Association ruling that he made "knowing and intentional sexual advances" toward a female client.

During that investigation, the Bar determined that Wolfley falsely testified that the misconduct never occurred, a claim later disproven by video evidence.

Wolfley's past also includes a 2004 criminal investigation where drug task force agents executed a search warrant on his office as part of a money-laundering probe involving a client accused of operating a cocaine ring.

Public Scrutiny and Judicial Response

Public dissatisfaction has manifested in a Change.org petition demanding Basden's removal from the bench, as the community questions whether the court is prioritizing judicial impartiality or personal loyalty while taxpayers foot the bill for every hour of the trial's delay.

Judge Basden has responded to the mounting scrutiny by attacking investigative reporting, recently labeling reports regarding his potential conflicts of interest as "cyberbullying."