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:
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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 Chair, Ami Nguyen of VABAW at jmjecscheduling@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

Current Ratings 2025

Candidate	Position Sought	Rating
Jessica Murphy Manca	King County Superior Court	EWQ
Benjamin Santos	King County Superior Court	WQ
Benjamin Santos	King County District Court	EWQ
Tenaya Scheinman	King County Superior Court	EWQ
Tenaya Scheinman	King County District Court	EWQ
Tyson R. Hill	Washington State Court of Appeals	EWQ
Kent Y. Liu	King County Superior Court	WQ
Kent Y. Liu	King County District Court	EWQ
Susan E. Llorens	King County Superior Court	WQ
Judge Karen Moore	Washington State Court of Appeals	WQ
Judge Andrea Jarmon	King County Superior Court	EWQ
Heather Barker	King County District Court	Q

Download the ratings from 2021, 2022, and 2023, and 2024.