Lewis County: Ethics a topic in race for judge

By Diane Huber | The Olympian • Published October 21, 2007

Attorneys Jim Lawler and Sherry Peterson are vying for the Lewis County Superior Court position in the Nov. 6 election. One of them will fill the position left open by the early retirement, in July, of Judge H. John Hall.

The race has been highly publicized after Peterson filed a complaint with the Washington State Bar Association against Lawler last month. The complaint alleged that Lawler failed to disclose his campaign relationship with a Centralia attorney who went before him.

Lawler told Centralia's The Chronicle that Peterson's behavior was "repugnant," and that the attorney's client did not receive any special treatment.

The bar association does not have a public file on Lawler, which could mean the complaint didn't have merit, or that it's still too early in the investigation process for any information to be public, said Judy Berrett, spokeswoman for the association. She said investigations typically take several months.

Shortly after the complaint, a Lewis County Bar Association poll found Lewis County judges and attorneys preferred Lawler roughly five to one.

Lawler, 50, of Centralia has 10 years of experience as a pro tem commissioner in Lewis County Superior Court and experience as an attorney going back to 1983.

Peterson, 52, of Chehalis is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has 17 years experience practicing law. She has served as a pro tem commissioner in Pierce and Lewis counties.

The candidates are seeking to complete the last year of Hall's term, through 2008.

The Chronicle contributed to this report.

Diane Huber writes for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-357-0204 or dhuber@theolympian.com.