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SEATTLE -- A new survey of attorneys by the King County Bar Association gives positive evaluations to the vast majority of judges, commissioners, and magistrates serving in King County district and municipal courts. Results show that in addition to 94% of the judges receiving overall positive ratings, 57% of the judges received evaluations of "very good" or "excellent" based on surveys of attorneys who appeared before them.
"King County is very well served by a local court system that receives high marks for integrity, impartiality, and legal decision-making," said James Andrus, KCBA President. "A well-respected judiciary ensures that all citizens can count on a fair and just decision when they appear in court."
The survey, conducted every four years since 1972 by the King County Bar Association, summarizes practicing attorneys’ subjective assessments of the judges who heard and decided their clients' cases during 2008 and 2009. The survey was conducted during the last two weeks of May and reflects over 2,600 separate evaluations. Respondents included government prosecutors, public defenders, and members of the private bar, with 82% of all respondents being very skilled members of the bar with 11 or more years of experience. 79% of the respondents have appeared before the judge they reviewed 4 or more times, allowing for multiple observations of the judge's performance.
KCBA's survey focused upon behavior-based measures for all county district and municipal court level judges, including commissioners and magistrates. Criteria included legal decision-making such as applying rules of evidence; demeanor and temperament; administrative skills such as maintaining order in the courtroom; and integrity and impartiality. The bar association's survey was conducted under the supervision of Professor David Brody, a nationally recognized expert on judicial performance from Washington State University.
A summary of the KCBA survey findings and detailed reports on each judge are available at www.kcba.org/judicialsurvey.
Founded in 1886, KCBA is the largest voluntary bar association in the state of Washington, representing over 14,000 attorneys in King County including attorneys, judges, and law professors. Its mission is to support its diverse membership by promoting a just, collegial, and accessible legal system and profession; to work with the judiciary to achieve excellence in the administration of justice; and to serve the local community through organized pro bono legal services.
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