Joint Asian Judicial Evaluations Committee

The ABAW is a proud member of the Washington State Joint Asian Judicial Evaluations Committee (JAJEC). Created in July 2006 to simplify and streamline the judicial evaluation process, JAJEC includes members from ABAW, the Korean American Bar Association (KABA), the South Asian Bar Association of Washington (SABAW), Filipino Lawyers of Washington (FLOW), Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington (MELAW), and the Vietnamese American Bar Association (VABAW). Click here to read the JAJEC bylaws, updated as of March 1, 2021

The JAJEC was created in part to ensure that judicial candidates are aware of and consider the issues important to the Asian Specialty Bars.
 All of our ratings are available to the public to educate voters of those candidates who meet the qualifications to serve on the judiciary as defined by the Asian Specialty Bars.

WHO WE EVALUATE
We evaluate individuals seeking either appointment or election to judicial office. We evaluate candidates for a variety of judicial positions, including: municipal and district courts, superior courts, superior court commissioner seats, courts of appeals, and the Washington Supreme Court.

WHAT OUR RATINGS MEAN
We do NOT endorse candidates for judicial office. Rather, we evaluate candidates by providing the public with our ratings. Candidates may be rated as follows:

A candidate may be rated exceptionally well qualified (EWQ), well qualified (WQ), qualified (Q), or not qualified (NQ) based on various factors including his or her integrity, fairness, legal ability, and demonstrated commitment to equal justice. The JAJEC Chairs notify the Applicant of the rating within two days by phone or mail. This rating is valid for three years and ratings for candidates actively seeking positions are posted on this website. Although a rating is made public, all information disclosed by the Applicant or the Applicant’s references and all discussions of the Committee are kept confidential.

STEPS TO OBTAIN AN EVALUATION
1. Contact the current JAJEC Chairs, Min Kang and Ron Park of KABAW at kabawajajec@gmail.com.
 In your e-mail, please:

a. Indicate the position(s) you are seeking; 

b.  Submit a current resume; and

c. Attach an electronic copy (Word format please) of any one of the following judicial questionnaires (along with any supplements, including writing samples):

(i). Washington State Bar Association
(ii). King County Bar Association 
(iii). Governor’s Office Uniform Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire.
If you have more than one of the above, the Uniform Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire is preferred.

2. Once the electronic copy of the application is received, you will be sent a letter via e-mail scheduling the date and time for your interview. You will also receive an electronic copy of the bylaws that govern the process and a roster of JAJEC members.

3. Interviews are held once a month on a first-come, first-serve basis. Interviews are scheduled no earlier than three weeks after receipt of the completed application.  All interviews are held during the evening.

It is strongly encouraged that candidates submit their applications for a JAJEC rating several months in advance of the Governor's deadline to ensure sufficient time to schedule an interview and receive a timely rating. However, candidates seeking a rating from JAJEC pursuant to a Notice of Vacancy from the Governor's office must provide the committee chair with their request for rating and their materials at a minimum 30 days before the deadline for submission of the rating to the Governor's Office of General Counsel or one week prior to the deadline for submission of the application to the Governor’s Office, whichever is earlier.

Rating Letters for Judicial Candidates:
Q = Qualified 

WQ = Well qualified

EWQ = Exceptionally well qualified

NR = Not Rated (insufficient info to rate)

NQ = Not Qualified


February, 2023

Candidate Position Sought Rating
Judge Cadine L. Ferguson-Brown Mason County Superior Court EWQ
Raul R. Martinez King County District Court EWQ
James M. Whisman Washington State Court of Appeals, Div. I WQ
Judge Andrea L. Bell Pierce County Superior Court WQ

January, 2023
Candidate Position Sought Rating
Anne Egeler Thurston County Superior Court EWQ
Justin P. Walsh King County District Court EWQ
Justin P. Walsh King County Municipal Court EWQ
Justin P. Walsh King County Superior Court WQ
Justin P. Walsh Local Tribal Courts Q
Sergio Cueva Flores Tacoma Municipal Court Q
Bardi Martin King County District Court Q
Deanna Crull Spokane County Superior Court Q

December, 2022
Candidate Position Sought Rating
Coreen Wilson King County Superior Court EWQ
Mark Larranaga King County Superior Court EWQ
Mark Larranaga Washington State Court of Appeals, Div. I EWQ
Hong Tran King County District Court - Shoreline Div. EWQ
Dennis Cronin Spokane County Superior Court EWQ
April Rivera King County Superior Court Q

November, 2022
Candidate Position Sought Rating
Angela Kaake King County Superior Court EWQ
Nyjat Rose-Akins Seattle Municipal Court WQ
Nyjat Rose-Akins King County District Court - West Div. WQ
Frederic Moll King County District Court - Shoreline Div. EWQ
Comm'r Kevin Stewart Spokane County Superior Court EWQ

October, 2022
Candidate Position Sought Rating
Judge John Ziobro Benton County Superior Court WQ
Judge John Ziobro Franklin County Superior Court WQ
Sidney Tribe Court of Appeals, Div. 1 WQ
Sidney Tribe Washington State Supreme Court Q
Ann Summers Court of Appeals, Div. 1 WQ

September, 2022
Candidate Position Sought Rating
Comm'r Nichole Swennumson Spokane County Superior Court WQ
Judge Adam Eisenberg Seattle Municipal Court EWQ
Nicholas Holce Walla Walla District Court Q
Judge Theresa Thin Elk Spokane County Superior Court EWQ

August, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Judge Jacquelyn High-Edward Spokane County Superior Court WQ
Andrew Biviano Spokane County Superior Court WQ
Andrew Van Winkle Spokane County Superior Court EWQ
Cloretta James King County District Court WQ
Judge Rania Rampersad King County District Court EWQ
Judge Rania Rampersad King County Superior Court WQ

July, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Halley Hupp Snohomish County Superior Court NQ
Miguel Duran Snohomish County Superior Court WQ
Seth Fine Snohomish County Superior Court Q

June, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Marla Polin Spokane County Superior Court Judge EWQ
Matthew Baldock Snohomish County Superior Court Judge WQ
Jerry Scharosch Spokane County Superior Court Judge WQ
Taki Flevaris King County Superior Court Judge WQ
Taki Flevaris Court of Appeals, Div 1 EWQ
Arlene Anderson Snohomish County Superior Court Judge EWQ

May, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Brooke Hagara Spokane County Superior Court Q
Judge Ken Schubert Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I WQ
Judge Lisa Mansfield Pierce County Superior Court EWQ
Mary Anderson Snohomish County Superior Court WQ
Nick Straley King County Superior Court EWQ
Nick Straley Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I EWQ

April, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Justice Mary Yu Washington State Supreme Court EWQ
Norma Rodriguez Benton and Franklin Counties Superior Court WQ
Judge Michael Finkle King County District Court, East Division EWQ
Doug McKinley Benton and Franklin Counties Superior Court NR
Amit Ranade Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I WQ

March, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Ian Birk Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I WQ
Cynthia Jones Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I EWQ
Judge Haydee Vargas King County Superior Court EWQ
Angelica Williams Pierce County Superior Court EWQ

Feburary, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Jason Schwarz King County Superior Court Q
Comm'r Jonathon Lack King County Superior Court WQ
Judge Michael Ryan Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I EWQ
Comm'r Philip Thornton Pierce County Superior Court Q

January, 2022
Candidate Position Sought  Rating
Michael E. Johnston Washington State Supreme Court WQ
Michael E. Johnston Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I EWQ
Marie Docter Thurston County Superior Court WQ
Janet Chung Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I WQ
Andrew Logerwell Thurston County Superior Court EWQ
Allyson Zipp Thurston County Superior Court WQ


Download the ratings through 2021 and  2022.




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