By Judge Patrick Oishi
Aloha from King County Superior Court.
February 2023 is a busy and exciting time for the Court, after a whirlwind month of January.
On January 13, we completed physical moves of judges and bailiffs to new courtrooms and courthouses due to new 2023 judicial assignments. On January 17, judges officially began their new assignments and caseloads. Our eight newest judges completed attendance at Washington State Judicial College early this month.
We completed onboarding our two newest judges, Judge Yip and Judge Wilson. Judge Yip is assigned to the Civil Department in Seattle, and Judge Wilson is assigned to the Maleng Regional Justice Center. Both judges are up and running now.
For the first time in about a year, King County Superior Court is back at full-strength with 54 judges. This is great news not only for the Court but also, more importantly, for the litigants, attorneys, and community we serve.
Our Chief Judges are now settled into their respective assignments. Judge Tanya Thorp enters her second year as Chief Civil Judge. Judge Sean O’Donnell enters his second year as Chief Unified Family Court Judge. Judge Ketu Shah has moved from his position as Chief Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) Judge to Chief Criminal Judge in Seattle. Judge Johanna Bender has moved into her role of Chief MRJC Judge. Finally, Judge Mindy Young has moved into her new role of Chief Clark Children and Family Justice Center Judge. I look forward to working with these hard-working and dynamic court leaders this year.
On January 29, the Court celebrated Judge Jaime Hawk’s formal investiture. This was a significant event for the Court because we had not done a formal investiture ceremony since the beginning of Covid. Judge Hawk was sworn in by Federal District Court Judge Richard Jones. There were remarks from Justice Mary Yu of the Washington State Supreme Court, and Judge Benes Aldana, President of the National Judicial College. Judge Hawk made remarks and introduced her family and special guests. It was a wonderful event indeed!
The Court continues to monitor the safety and security around the King County Courthouse. We are working closely with many city and county leaders and departments to enhance safety for our jurors, litigants, observers, employees, and judicial officers. At present, there are still no specific plans for the re-opening of City Hall Park (CHP). As I have stated on multiple occasions, the citizens of King County are depending on the City to ensure this area is safe before it is reopened, and that it remains a safe space after opening. We look forward to working with Mayor Harrell, as well as other city and county leaders, to ensure CHP is a safe and welcoming space for all and access to justice is not compromised.
