Fisher Murder Trial Pushed to February 9 as Attorney Wolfley Prepares

The high-stakes murder trial of Aaron Fisher has been pushed back to February 9, 2026. Court records show Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden granted a continuance to defense attorney Lane Wolfley during a hearing on Friday, January 23. The trial was originally scheduled to begin today, January 26.

This delay adds further financial and ethical weight to a situation already mired in controversy regarding Judge Basden’s personal ties to the legal counsel he hand-selected for the case.

A “Good Ol’ Boy” Appointment

The appointment of Lane Wolfley has drawn intense fire because of his deep-seated history with Judge Basden, beginning with their time as former business partners at the law firm “Wolfley, Basden & Hansen” during the early 2000s.

The connection extends into their private lives through high-ranking ecclesiastical ties; Basden 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 religious hierarchy.

Their professional and personal relationship is underscored by an ongoing financial connection, as Wolfley currently holds a $6,250-per-month conflict attorney contract with the Superior Court in addition to the taxpayer-funded $250-per-hour rate he is receiving for the Fisher trial.

A History of Misconduct Ignored

Critics argue that Basden’s choice is especially troubling given Wolfley’s documented disciplinary history, which includes a three-year suspension from the practice of law after the Washington State Bar Association found 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.

Judicial Deflection and Public Outcry

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.”