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Monday, October 20, 2025

Lawsuit claims former WA lands commissioner Hilary Franz mishandled abuse allegations - Washington State Standard

A former Department of Natural Resources staffer says complaints about domestic violence she experienced while dating the agency’s top lawyer resulted in workplace retaliation.

A woman who worked previously for Washington’s Department of Natural Resources is suing the agency and former state lands commissioner Hilary Franz, accusing them of allowing a top attorney at the department to carry out a campaign of harassment, intimidation and abuse against her.

Franz is accused of protecting former Department of Natural Resources General Counsel Daniel Teimouri by failing to intervene after Bailey Boyd, then-deputy director of external affairs, reported that Teimouri was abusing her. Teimouri and Boyd were dating at the time.

Franz is also accused of retaliating against Boyd by drastically reducing her job responsibilities after she reported the abuse.

Boyd, represented by HKM Employment Attorneys LLP, filed suit against Franz and the Department of Natural Resources in King County Superior Court on July 24.

Boyd is seeking unspecified compensation for economic damages and for “pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and humiliation” as well as reasonable attorneys fees and costs.

A trial is scheduled for July 27, 2026.

The Department of Natural Resources declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

Franz denied the allegations in an emailed statement last week.

“Anyone who knows me and my work representing survivors of domestic violence knows these claims are...



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