The King County Bar Association Judicial Screening Committee rates candidates for appointment or election to King County Municipal, District, and Superior Courts; and to state appellate courts for contested elections. The ratings are published for contested elections; they are not published in the case of candidates being rated for appointment. The evaluation process utilizes a representative body of the King County Bar Association as well as public lay members in its 85-member judicial screening committee. The committee undertakes a fair and comprehensive rating process designed to create a high quality bench and assist the public by providing them with important information on judicial candidates.
KCBA Ratings of Candidates in 2010 Judicial Elections
Information about the KCBA Judicial Screening Committee
In the Bar Bulletin, KCBA has published several articles about the bar’s screening committee and the general rating process used to evaluate candidates seeking appointment and election to judicial office.
Judicial Ratings: A Critical KCBA Public Service, by Andrew Prazuch, August 2008.
Judicial Appointments Put Focus on Screening process, by Raegen Rasnic and David Koch, April 2008.
Screening Committee Takes Candidates’ Stock, by David Strout and Terence Scanlan, August 2006.
Click here for a general explanation of the rating process.
Currently there are several openings for attorneys to serve on the Committee. Please click here for information about this opportunity.
Information for Individuals who wish to be Screened by the Judicial Screening Committee
If you wish to be screened by the committee for judicial appointment or election, you must provide the following documents:
You must E-Mail Julie Gardner or call her at 206-267-7013 to initiate the screening process. Please see the description of the ratings process for specific information about how to proceed.
Current and Past Judicial Ratings of Candidates in Contested Elections
Links to More Information and Other Ratings