Editorial Page staff
The Seattle Times
Four King County Superior Court races will appear on the general ballot (nine other court races were decided in the primary).
Electing judges is a challenge when voters have scant information about the races and most campaigns are run on a shoestring. Still, these races can be vigorously contested, and the results critical for the community.
Judicial candidates run on their professional accomplishments, reputations for fairness and integrity, and commitment to public services. With luck, these are the qualities voters will judge them on.
Position 2: Judge Harriet Cody should be retained.
Challenger Bruce Gardiner has a general law practice and is an elected commissioner on the Northshore Utility District. Gardiner chose to run against Cody because she received mediocre ratings in a survey of lawyers conducted by the King County Bar Association last fall.
Yet, the same bar association, in its more detailed elections-evaluation process, rated Cody ``exceptionally well qualified'' for the job. Gardiner received a ``well-qualified'' rating. His lack of judicial experience gives Cody the edge in this race.
Position 6: Of the two running for this open seat, Phil Hubbard is the stronger candidate.
Hubbard is currently chief of the labor and industries division of the state attorney general's office. He has been active in children's projects in the community and active in the bar association.
Joan Allison has had experience as a family law commissioner in King County Superior Court. But Hubbard's reputation and experience in civil and criminal law make him the better choice.
Position 9: Challenger Jeff Ramsdell is the best choice for this seat.
Incumbent Judge Jo Anne Alumbaugh has a poor courtroom reputation. She received the highest negative rating in the lawyers' survey, and in the bar's judicial evaluation, she received only an ``adequate'' rating despite her time on the bench.
Ramsdell, by contrast, earned a ``well-qualified'' rating. He is a staff attorney for the judges of the state Court of Appeals. He has had trial experience as a deputy King County prosecutor and been a judge pro tem in Seattle Municipal Court.
Alumbaugh's record does not inspire public confidence. Voters would do better with Ramsdell.
Position 26: Judge Jeanette Burrage has very limited experience as a lawyer. She is, however, very experienced at running for judgeships. She unsuccessfully ran for the state Supreme Court and the state Court of Appeals before she won a seat on the county court in a special five-way election last November. Her lack of legal knowledge and perceived bias (she is a self-proclaimed property-rights advocate) has caused more than 100 litigants to demand that their cases be transferred out of her courtroom. She was rated ``not qualified'' by the bar association.
Fortunately, her challenger, Doug North, is extremely well-qualified. He has extensive courtroom experience both as a trial lawyer and as a judge pro tem. He has been active in the bar association and was a founder of the Rivers Council of Washington. North would be a fine addition to the bench.
