Justice for Washington Rates

Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Candidates

The Justice for Washington Foundation released its bi-partisan 2012 rating for appellate level judicial candidates in the contested races for the state Supreme Court and Division II of the Court of Appeals.

OLYMPIA, WA - 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.

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Judicial Elections

The Justice for Washington Foundation operates the only bi-partisan judicial rating process in Washington State as part of our commitment o provide useful and objective information about candidates for the state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.