On October 14, 2024, King County will celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. King County Superior Court recognizes that we provide service to a community, populated by residents from a rich variety of cultures and lived experiences. In recognition of this holiday marked by reflection and service, we wanted to take the opportunity to share with the Bar the significant work the Court is undertaking to improve and coordinate our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

On October 14, 2024, King County will celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. King County Superior Court recognizes that we provide service to a community, populated by residents from a rich variety of cultures and lived experiences. In recognition of this holiday marked by reflection and service, we wanted to take the opportunity to share with the Bar the significant work the Court is undertaking to improve and coordinate our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As you read this, we are past the summer and are in the throws of a busy fall season. What I appreciate is in many cultures that follow a lunar calendar, the fall is a time for a new year and renewal. 

As you read this, we are past the summer and are in the throws of a busy fall season. What I appreciate is in many cultures that follow a lunar calendar, the fall is a time for a new year and renewal. 

Some of you may know that I like to play cards. I play Pinochle, Euchre, Hearts, Rummy, Cribbage and many others. I have a Cribbage App on my phone which I often play to relax and turn my brain off. It is a way for me to focus my attention away from emails, texts, and all the other daily pressures we face. 

It is a few days after Juneteenth as I write this column. It is an important day, a day to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. Of course, it symbolizes much more than one day. On its face, it was a day in 1865 in Texas when emancipation would be enforced 900 days after emancipation was first announced. The Confederate States surrendered on April 9, 1865, two months before emancipation in Texas. And still, there were enslaved people in states that did not secede and they were not freed until the ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 6, 1865.

My father was an engineer. My mother was trained as a scientist and always had a mind for numbers. My parents always taught me to be analytical in trying to solve a problem and be efficient when you have multiple problem sets.

My father was an engineer. My mother was trained as a scientist and always had a mind for numbers. My parents always taught me to be analytical in trying to solve a problem and be efficient when you have multiple problem sets.

For those of you who swear, you understand. Sometimes you experience something that makes you swear. I have been known to swear on the pitch, in my car, or when I stub my toe on a chair. We have all been there. Once, as a young soccer player on my college team, recently being promoted to start, I missed a very simple backwards pass trap. The ball went under my foot as I looked away, my opponent quickly pounced on my mistake and took the ball the other way. #$%&* quickly rang out of my mouth near our bench. The coach immediately subbed me out (I am sure for my swearing because I had made other mistakes, and he did not sub me out) and I fumed on the sideline about my careless mistake. I used to swear when in law school in Minnesota when the wind chill was negative 50 degrees as I walked from my car to the law building. I was convinced my swearing would warm me up, but sadly, only my mouth heated up.

For those of you who swear, you understand. Sometimes you experience something that makes you swear. I have been known to swear on the pitch, in my car, or when I stub my toe on a chair. We have all been there. Once, as a young soccer player on my college team, recently being promoted to start, I missed a very simple backwards pass trap. The ball went under my foot as I looked away, my opponent quickly pounced on my mistake and took the ball the other way. #$%&* quickly rang out of my mouth near our bench. The coach immediately subbed me out (I am sure for my swearing because I had made other mistakes, and he did not sub me out) and I fumed on the sideline about my careless mistake. I used to swear when in law school in Minnesota when the wind chill was negative 50 degrees as I walked from my car to the law building. I was convinced my swearing would warm me up, but sadly, only my mouth heated up.