Page 26 - 2024 March April Magazine

Honorable Garold E. Johnson
Superior Court Department 10
Thank you. I am particularly grateful to my fellow judges who have always had a true open-door policy that provided me the
opportunity to discuss how the law, equity and procedures applied to particular and sometimes rather unique, fact patterns.
I truly appreciate the attorneys that have appeared before the court. Their efforts to represent their client’s best interest by providing the court with accurate and up to date briefing on the law and clarity of facts that are critical to the rule of law. Chris Gaddis and Dea Finigan are exceptional
Honorable Gretchen Leanderson
Superior Court Department 15
As I near retirement my primary message to you the members of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar is that of gratitude. Thank you for your professionalism in my courtroom and for your passion and advocacy for your clients. I am proud of our local bar. We are an extremely collegial group of local attorneys and judicial officers. It is why I always, and will continue, to encourage newly graduated law students to practice in Pierce County. I thank each of you who feel the same and take the
time to mentor new lawyers. We all need to continue our part in paying it forward.
At the top of my list of people to thank is my husband of 35 years, Jim Schacht. Jim recently retired as Chief Criminal Deputy of the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office. I am also eternally grateful to our
administrators that have been instrumental in guiding our court through trying times. I am very thankful for all their work.
Linda Schramm was my Judicial Assistant and Leslie Thompson was my Court Reporter for
over eleven years. Their individual efforts and teamwork were extraordinary. After Ms. Schramm retired Martha Hernandez became my Judicial Assistant and Carmen Lundy took over the Court Reporter duties. They too bring amazing skill, energy, and sincere efforts to help the court and the litigants through the court processes.
Finally, and most importantly, I want to thank
my wife of forty-five years, Jackie Rosenblatt. She has stood by my side with unwavering support when I was a Juvenile Probation Officer, a law student, throughout the 28 years of my demanding private law practice and, my past twelve years on the bench. During these same years, she was the primary parent of our two children, took care of most of our household chores and served as an Assistant Attorney General. Well, not just an AAG. Because of her efforts and skill, she became an AAG Section Chief and, before retiring, an AAG Division Chief. Amazing!
Again, thank you all!
two wonderful sons, Eric and Peter. Their never-ending support and encouragement during my 37-year career in public service has given me comfort and joy. We have so many great family memories alongside our work lives, and we look forward to many more family memories in retirement.
Serving on the Superior Court bench has been an honor and a privilege. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the community and citizens of Pierce County. I have made some wonderful friends in my colleagues on the bench, including many who have retired. I want to express a sincere thanks to each of them for their friendship, camaraderie, and collegiality, and to the entire Superior Court family. So much work is done by
judges and staff behind the scenes in early morning, noon time, and late afternoon committee meetings. These are the meetings that ensure that we improve case processing and access to justice. The work was started well before I joined the bench, and will continue after I retire.
Lastly, I am especially grateful to my courtroom staff. Current JA, Jia Garcera, and Court Reporter Jamie Lynn, are a pleasure to work with day in day out as our department conducts the hearings and trials that are the most important work a superior court judge must do. I also would like to say a word of thanks to former Department 15 staff I have worked with including Sarah Laycock (now a JAG officer in Alabama), Heather Thornton (current JA for Judge Penalver), and Court Reporter Carmen Lundy. Department 15 is now and always has been a team. To each of my courtroom staff past and present, your friendship, enthusiasm, and support is one of the hardest aspects of my working life to leave behind. I wish Department 15 and all of our hardworking judicial officers and staff the very best in the years to come.
26 PIERCE COUNTY LAWYER | March/April 2024