May 1, 2023
The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20543
Dear Chief Justice Roberts:
We are retired Washington State Superior Court Judges writing to express our grave concerns regarding recent developments at the United States Supreme Court. Prompt, transparent and effective resolution of these issues is not only imperative to the continued credibility and vitality of the Supreme Court itself, but to all levels of the judiciary.
The vast majority of the public has little understanding of or appreciation for the various levels of court or their jurisdictional divisions. For most people, a judge is a judge regardless of court level, jurisdiction or whether their title is actually “justice” rather than judge. Rightly or wrongly, the standard set by any one of us is often imputed to all of us. The likelihood of that imputation is even greater when the standard is set by those entrusted with the highest stature.
All of us strove every day of our careers to exemplify the highest level of allegiance to our oaths of office, to administer justice fairly and impartially and to comply with our code of ethics. Attention to these goals was not only important to our professional reputations but was essential to maintain the continued effectiveness of the judicial branch of government. Courts are powerless but for the respect accorded the institution by the public and the other branches of government. Apocryphal or not, President Andrew Jackson’s purported statement, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it,” embodies this reality.
The Supreme Court is faced with a choice. It can take public remedial action or it can choose to maintain an air of insularity in the hope that the crisis will pass. For the sake of the institution that we all served and cherish, we respectfully urge you to exercise your authority as Chief Justice and take appropriate action that will restore the public’s trust and confidence in the Supreme Court and, by extrapolation, all courts. Rest assured that the legacy of your response will be felt at every level of court for decades to come.
Respectfully submitted,
Judge Jeffrey M. Ramsdell (Ret.)
Cc: Justice Clarence Thomas
Justice Samuel Alito
Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Justice Elena Kagan
Justice Neil Gorsuch
Justice Brett Kavanaugh
Justice Amy Coney Barrett
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
The following retired Washington State Superior Court Judges join in this letter:
Judge Michael J. Trickey (Ret.)
King County Superior Court Court of Appeals, Division I
Judge Deborah Fleck (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Laura lnveen (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Michael Downes (Ret.)
Snohomish County Superior Court
Justice Bobbe Bridge (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Washington State Supreme Court
Judge Leonard Costello (Ret.)
Kitsap County Superior Court
Judge Kathleen O’Connor (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Judge Richard McDermott (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Vickie Churchill (Ret.)
Island County Superior Court
Judge Kitty Ann van Doorninck (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Michael Spearman (Ret.)
King County Superior Court Court of Appeals, Division I
Judge Tari Eitzen (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Judge Charles Snyder (Ret.)
Whatcom County Superior Court
Judge James Cayce (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Anthony Wartnik (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Theresa Doyle (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge David Kurtz (Ret.)
Snohomish County Superior Court
Judge Thomas Wynne (Ret.)
Snohomish County Superior Court
Judge Susan Serko (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Diane Woolard (Ret.)
Clark County Superior Court
Judge Stephanie Arend (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Harold Clarke (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Judge James Murphy (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Justice Faith Ireland (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Washington State Supreme Court
Judge Stephen Warning (Ret.)
Cowlitz County Superior Court
Judge Carol Schapira (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Philip G. Hubbard, Jr. (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Ellen Clark (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Judge John Erlick (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Helen Halpert (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Michael Rickert (Ret.)
Skagit County Superior Court
Judge David Frazier (Ret.)
Whitman County Superior Court
Judge Kathleen Learned (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Larry Jordan (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge John M. Meyer (Ret.)
Skagit County Superior Court
Judge Vickie Hogan (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Gregory Sypolt (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Judge Linda Tompkins (Ret.)
Spokane County Superior Court
Judge Gordon Godfrey (Ret.)
Grays Harbor County Superior Court
Judge Barbara Linde (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Stephen Brown (Ret.)
Grays Harbor Superior Court
Judge Mariane Spearman (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Anne Hirsch (Ret.)
Thurston County Superior Court
Judge Paula Casey (Ret.)
Thurston County Superior Court
Judge Jean Rietschel (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Suzanne Barnett (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Barbara Mack (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Greg Canova (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Dan Berschauer (Ret.)
Thurston County Superior Court
Judge Deborra Garrett (Ret.)
Whatcom County Superior Court
Judge Monica Benton (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge John Strohmaier (Ret.)
Lincoln County Superior Court
Judge Michael Heavey (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge John Hotchkiss (Ret.)
Douglas County Superior Court
Judge S. Brooke Taylor (Ret.)
Clallam County Superior Court
Judge Chrisopher Melly (Ret.)
Clallam County Superior Court
Judge Lesley Allan (Ret.)
Chelan County Superior Court
Judge Michael Fox (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Kimberly Prochnau (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge James J. Stonier (Ret.)
Cowlitz County Superior Court
Judge Jay White (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Mark McCauley (Ret.)
Grays Harbor County Superior Court
Judge Ron Culpepper (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Erik Rohrer (Ret.)
Clallam County Superior Court
Judge Kathryn Nelson (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Alicia Nakata (Ret.)
Chelan County Superior Court
Judge Ron Castleberry (Ret.)
Snohomish County Superior Court
Judge John McCarthy (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Linda Krese (Ret.)
Snohomish County Superior Court
Judge Alan Hancock (Ret.)
Island County Superior Court
Judge George T. Mattson (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Terry Sebring (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge John Lohrmann (Ret.)
Walla Walla Superior Court
Judge Keith Harper (Ret.)
Jefferson County Superior Court
Judge James Orlando (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Toni Sheldon (Ret.)
Mason County Superior Court
Judge Julie Spector (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Susan Craighead (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge George Bowden (Ret.)
Snohomish County Superior Court
Judge Elizabeth Martin (Ret.)
Pierce County Superior Court
Judge Linda Lau (Ret.)
King County Superior Court Court of Appeals, Division I
Judge Regina Cahan (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Harriett M. Cody (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Cheryl Carey (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Donald Eaton (Ret.)
San Juan County Superior Court
Judge David Draper (Ret.)
Lewis County Superior Court
Judge Craig Matheson (Ret.)
Benton/Franklin Superior Court
Judge Harry McCarthy (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Dean Lum (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
Judge Christopher E. Culp (Ret.)
Okanogan Superior Court
Judge Scott Collier (Ret.)
Clark County Superior Court
Judge John R. Ruhl (Ret.)
King County Superior Court
