Should Landlords Get to Use a “Gut Check” when Picking Tenants? Judge Hears Arguments on Seattle’s First-in-Time Rule

The law is meant to address implicit bias.by Heidi GrooverThe law in question does not stop landlords from using criteria like income and credit score. JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY
Attorneys representing local landlords were in King County Superior Court Friday arguing they should have the right to use their gut instincts, rather than only impartial criteria, when picking their tenants.
Their case challenges Seattle’s “first-in-time” law, which requires landlords to rent to the first