Washington judge dismisses Oso mudslide claims

EVERETT, Wash. -- A Washington judge has dismissed claims brought by dozens of people who lost family and homes in a 2014 mudslide.

The Herald reports that the King County Superior Court judge last week dismissed the claims, which argued that the losses were the result of negligence by Snohomish County government officials.

The dismissal affects about a dozen survivors of the Oso mudslide and legal claims linked to 28 people who died in the disaster. It follows a series of pre-trial hearings focused on Snohomish County's potential legal culpability.

A civil trial scheduled for this fall will decide whether anyone should be held responsible for the slide.