EVERETT — Only one of nine candidates for a new Snohomish County Superior Court judge appointment has been rated “exceptionally well qualified” by a lawyer group.
The Snohomish County chapter of Washington Women Lawyers on Monday released its ratings of seven of the candidates. The recommenÂdation is one of two from lawyer groups expected to be used by Gov. Chris Gregoire in picking a jurist for a new position on the local bench.
Superior Court Commissioner Bruce Weiss was the only candidate rated exceptionally well qualified.
Two others have a “well qualified” rating from the women lawyers.
They are Karen Moore, a former deputy prosecutor who now is in private practice, and Elizabeth Turner, who is in private practice and has filled in as a temporary judge.
Turner didn’t take part in the recent rating process. Her “well qualified” rating came from an a rating process two years ago when she sought another judge appointment, said member Charlie Blackman.
Four others received “qualified” ratings.
They are George Appel, a deputy prosecutor; Peter Camp, a top aide to County Executive Aaron Reardon; Susan Gaer, a lead public defender; and Kelly Harris, executive assistant in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle.
Two candidates chose not to seek a rating by the group. They are Joseph Wilson and Mickey Krom, both lawyers in private practice. The Washington Women Lawyers chapter has about 50 members.
The ratings are based on interviews with members of Washington Women Lawyers, as well as checks with candidate references.
The Snohomish County Bar Association is the second group that will rate candidates through a poll.
About 600 county lawyers have an opportunity to participate in the bar poll, which was mailed out in early September and must be returned by Oct. 10.
The nine lawyers have submitted their names to the governor hoping to be picked for a newly created position. Whoever is appointed will have to run for election in 2008. The job pays nearly $141,000 a year.
A 15th judge spot in Snohomish County has been authorized by the Legislature for a decade, but the County Council didn’t fund the position until early August. Half of a Superior Court judge’s salary is paid by the state and the other half by the county.
Judges believe the addition of a judicial position will help speed hearing civil and criminal cases, and will free up judicial time to possibly start a new “therapeutic” family court modeled partly after the successful drug courts in Juvenile Court and Superior Court.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or jhaley@heraldnet.com.
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