Everett Herald

Endorsements

Chambers, Alexander should remain on

Friday, September 1, 2006 — Two of this year's three state Supreme Court races will definitely be decided in the Sept. 19 primary. Under state law, a judicial candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary advances to the general election ballot without opposition. So in the pair of races with just two candidates, the primary is the final.

In those contests, we recommend voters retain the incumbents, Gerry Alexander and Tom Chambers.

Chambers, who is running for his second six-year term on the state's highest court, is an easy choice. He is a thoughtful, open-minded and lucid jurist with a helpful talent for explaining legal points in language non-lawyers can understand. He uses it to write opinions with a particular audience in mind - law enforcement officers, for example, in criminal cases where police procedures are at issue.

He is a former president of the Washington State Bar Association, and has long been active in a variety of public-service organizations. He is an ardent student of constitutional history, and speaks passionately about the importance of an independent judiciary that's committed to protecting individual rights.

Chambers is challenged by former King County Superior Court Judge Jeanette Burrage, who worked in the Snohomish County Prosecutor's Office under former Prosecutor Jim Krider. She describes herself as a strict constructionist who would interpret the law rather than making it, terminology that in recent years has become a popular sound bite among conservatives. She has been a controversial figure in the past, having been rated "not qualified" by the King County Bar Association, a move she believes is politically motivated.

Regardless, Chambers is by far the more impressive candidate. He has established a judicial record of intelligence, restraint and fairness, one he can build on further in a second term.

The race between Chief Justice Gerry Alexander and challenger John Groen is a closer call. Alexander's experience is unparalleled - he has been on the high court since 1995, and is the only current justice who also served on the Court of Appeals and Superior Court benches. He is a sharp, even-tempered leader on the court, and a judge with a reputation for sound reasoning and fairness.

Groen, however, is also impressive. As a prominent land-use attorney, he has argued often before the court he seeks to join. He is extremely bright and well-spoken - even Alexander complimented his legal skills.

Groen is supported by the building industry, which has poured an substantial amount of money into his campaign. His expertise in the area of personal property rights and eloquent emphasis on the protection of individual rights would make him a forceful addition to the court.

It is striking, though, that even with the strong backing of builders, Groen didn't get the endorsement of the Association of Washington Business, which is supporting Alexander. Its endorsement describes just the kind of justice citizens deserve on the high court: "Although we've disagreed with him occasionally on the law, his record showed us that Chief Justice Alexander is a fair and impartial jurist who does not come to the bench with an agenda. We believe we can get a fair shake in front of him and that is the hallmark of a good judge."

It should be noted that if he wins, the 70-year-old Alexander will have to step down with one year left in his term because of the state's mandatory retirement law for judges. That means that the governor, whoever it is five years from now, would appoint a replacement who would have to stand for election the following year. That's a less-than-ideal situation, but if we can keep Alexander's experience and wisdom on the court for another five years, we can live with it.

Voters can find objective information on judicial candidates at an impressive, non-partisan Web site, www.votingforjudges.org.

VotingforJudges.org, P.O. Box 1460, Silverdale, WA  98383
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