2012 Elections

The Justice for Washington Foundation released its 2012 evaluations for contested appellate court elections in Washington State. The Foundation operates the state’s only expressly bi-partisan evaluation of appellate level judicial candidates. The Foundation rated only one candidate as “exceptionally well qualified” and four as “unqualified”.

Washington State Supreme Court, Position #2

Susan Owens – Qualified
Douglas McQuaid – Unqualified
Scott Stafne – Unqualified

Washington State Supreme Court, Position #8

Steve Gonzalez – Well Qualified

Washington State Supreme Court, Position #9

Bruce Hilyer – Exceptionally Well Qualified
John Ladenburg – Well Qualified
Richard Sanders – Qualified
Sheryl Gordon McCloud – Qualified

Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II, District 2 (Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Mason and Thurston Counties)

Pam Loginsky – Well Qualified
Tom Bjorgen – Well Qualified
Michael Lynch – Well Qualified
Tom Weaver – Qualified
Brendan Williams – Unqualified
Jim Foley – Unqualified

The member of the committee were:

Jerry Rubin – Democrat with the law firm of Stoel Rives
Chris Bayley – Republican and former King County Prosecutor.
Phil Sorenson – Democrat with the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office
Alex Hays – Republican and Executive Director of the Mainstream Republicans of Washington. Mr. Hays is actively supporting a candidate in the Division II District 2 Court of Appeals race and recused himself from that evaluation.

The Justice for Washington Foundation works to preserve a well qualified elected judiciary committed to judicial restraint. The Foundation also works to educate the public about the history and content of the Washington State Constitution.