The trial concerning the 2004 governor's election is scheduled to last nine days in Chelan County Superior Court. Judge John Bridges, who will decide the nonjury case, has given Republicans and Democrats each four days to present their cases.

The lawsuit is officially known as an "election contest petition" and is the method state law provides for challenging an election.

Who's suing whom?

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance and other Republicans filed the case.

Initially the lawsuit named all 39 counties, their auditors or election directors, Secretary of State Sam Reed, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and House Speaker Frank Chopp.

The counties were dropped from the case, except for a handful that requested to remain as parties. Claims against Chopp and Owen, named because they are the Legislature's presiding officers and in January oversaw Gregoire's swearing-in, were temporarily stayed during the legislative session. It's unclear what role, if any, they will play in the case.

The state Democratic and Libertarian parties intervened in the case shortly after it was filed. Democrats have taken the lead role in defending the election.

The Secretary of State's Office has remained active in the case, largely striking a middle ground during pre-trial hearings. Reed's attorneys say they won't be saying much in the courtroom during the trial.

What do Republicans have to prove?

Republicans must show that Rossi, and not Gregoire, was the rightful winner of the election. Bridges has said it is not enough to show that illegal votes and election errors make it impossible to know who the rightful winner was. Republicans must show that if illegal votes and votes resulting from election errors were subtracted from Gregoire's total, Rossi would win. The judge could then nullify the election and declare Rossi the winner.

Judge John Bridges is the judge Republicans were hoping for when they filed their lawsuit in Chelan County. He is known as a fair, hard-working judge who runs his courtroom with a dash of humor but has little tolerance for distractions.

But what Republicans were most excited about is that Bridges is one of the few judges in the state to have upheld an election lawsuit. In 2000 he overturned a Wenatchee mayor's election because the mayor was not a legal resident of the city.

Bridges grew up on a Chelan County fruit orchard and graduated from Seattle Pacific University and Gonzaga Law School. Democratic Gov. Booth Gardner appointed him to the bench in 1988.

Who's representing the Republicans?

Mark Braden, 53, is a D.C. heavyweight who doesn't say much in court. But what he says privately carries a lot of weight with Rossi, Vance and others. He's the closest any of the Republican attorneys come to being folksy.

He's the former chief counsel to the Republican National Committee and an expert in election law. The Web site of his D.C. firm, Baker & Hostetler, says Braden "can rightly claim to be the father of 'soft money' as now used in national political campaigns."

Harry Korrell , 37, is a partner in the Seattle firm Davis Wright Tremaine. (The Seattle Times is also represented by the firm.) Washington Law & Politics magazine has named him both a "rising star" and a "super lawyer."

His primary practice is in employment law, and the firm promotes his work as including: "Advising and training employers on strategies for remaining union-free, representing targeted employers in union organizing campaigns, and representing employers in collective bargaining."

Robert Maguire , 32, also with Davis Wright Tremaine, is the young gun of the Republican team. He also has roots in D.C.'s power lobbying and legal world, where he worked for the well-connected firm of Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn. He's primarily a commercial attorney, handling trade-secret and contract cases. In 2002 he represented a team backed by Craig McCaw and Paul Allen in litigation surrounding the America's Cup races.

Dale Foreman , 57, is a former Republican state lawmaker, party chairman and candidate for governor. He lives and practices law in Wenatchee and is the Republicans' local connection. He appeared before Bridges five years ago in an election-contest case. In that one, Foreman unsuccessfully defended the Wenatchee mayor from a charge he wasn't a legal resident.

And the Democrats?

Jenny Durkan , 47, has been Gregoire's personal attorney in past political cases. While Gregoire doesn't have an official role in the election lawsuit, Durkan joined the legal team at Gregoire's request. State party Chairman Paul Berendt has said Durkan is "essentially an agent for Christine."

Durkan is an influential Democratic player and fund-raiser for the party and has had a string of prominent, often politically connected clients.

Kevin Hamilton , 47, specializes in personnel law at Perkins Coie in Seattle, representing employers in complex, multiplaintiff cases. He has represented Boeing, Starbucks and Paul Allen's companies in employment cases.

He has worked with the state Democratic Party on election issues since 1992. He represented the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1996 and Sen. Maria Cantwell's campaign in 2000 in a race that ended with a recount.

Hamilton also is an occasional book reviewer for The Seattle Times.

Russell Speidel , 56, is the Democrats' counterpart to Foreman. He was raised in Wenatchee and practiced law on the East Coast before returning to his hometown in 1983. His usual practice involves trusts, estates and nonprofit and charitable organizations. He represented the Wenatchee residents who successfully challenged the mayoral election in the case where he faced off with Foreman and appeared before Bridges.

Who represents the secretary of state?

Jeff Even, 45, is the state's long-time expert on election law. He has been involved in the 2004 election case since January, when Attorney General Rob McKenna took over the case from private attorneys Reed had hired.

Thomas Ahearne , 45, is an attorney with Foster Pepper & Shefelman. Reed hired him last year to represent the office in the election legal disputes, and he has stayed on under McKenna.