This House bill would add a ninth Superior Court judge in Thurston County
Thurston County would add a ninth Superior Court judge this year if the Washington state legislature approves the position this session.
House Bill 1167 passed with 16 in favor and one abstention in the House of Representatives Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee on Jan. 29. The bill was referred to the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 2, but a follow-up hearing has yet to be scheduled.
If the legislature approves the position, the judge could be seated as soon as Nov. 1, Thurston Superior Court Judge Erik Price said during a board of county commissioners meeting Thursday. He said he is hopeful about the bill’s prospects given its momentum and bipartisan support.
“Folks with the experience of the legislature know that the ball has to kind of keep rolling because plenty of them stop rolling,” Price said. “This is a very difficult session, they are very focused on pandemic issues and justice issues, not necessarily new judges, so I’m very happy that’s the news coming up.”
The Thurston County board of county commissioners previously approved the ninth judge position, Price said Thursday, half of which would be paid for by the county and half by the state.
“I don’t necessarily see a lot of controversy there. Obviously it’s a much bigger ask of the local county in terms of the finances than it is for the state, all things considered,” Price said.
Rep. Jessica Bateman, who sponsored the house bill, said during a Jan. 26 hearing that Thurston County’s caseload makes it one of the most understaffed counties in the state, citing an annual analysis from the Administrative Office of the Courts. In addition to local cases, Thurston courts often have to deal with statewide cases because it is home to the state capital.
“Currently the court needs 13.95 judicial officers and only has 11, leaving it far short of the 2.95 officers that it needs,” Bateman said at the hearing.
She said a ninth elected Superior Court judge would help the county handle its increasing caseload as well as its growing backlog due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The court has conducted just five jury trials since last March when the county reported its first COVID-19 case. The court has suspended criminal jury trials through at least March 1 and civil jury trials through at least June 7 because of the pandemic.
Delays resulting from the current high caseload and backlog can impact racial and economic justice, especially for low-income people and people of color who disproportionately enter the criminal legal system, Bateman said.
Commissioner Tye Menser likened the status of the courts with the situation at schools. He said it’s the right call to delay reopening them in the interest of public health, but the delay has created other problems and frustrations for the people involved.
”Definitely, the right thing to do is what was done, but the system is building up and the lawyers are feeling like they can’t get cases resolved without that trial outlet to sort of break jams,” Menser said.
Along with Bateman, the bill also is sponsored by Rep. Davina Duerr, D-Bothell, and Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island.
