After a disciplinary hearing, if the director rules against a licensee and revokes the license, to what court can the licensee appeal?

• A. Superior court (within 30 days)
• B. U.S. district court
• C. Court of appeals
• D. Arbitration panel

Answer: (A)

When a licensing authority in Washington revokes a license, the challenge goes to the state court system, not to a federal court or an arbitration panel. The licensee must file a petition for judicial review in the Superior Court within 30 days of the Director’s order. The Superior Court reviews the agency’s decision for legal errors and checks the agency’s actions against the record, serving as the first step in the court system’s review of administrative agency decisions. If further review is desired, the appeal would then proceed to the Court of Appeals after the Superior Court decision.