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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.