Page 17 - Pierce County Lawyer - September October 2024

POSITION 15
equal justice for all and the efforts being taken to achieve it is fundamental. I have volunteered as a tutor and participated
in events designed to bring youngsters into contact with the legal system in a positive way, events such as the Tacoma Pierce County Minority Bar Association’s Youth and Law Forum and the YMCA mock trial program. I’ve also volunteered in legal assistance clinics.
Anything else you would like our members to know?
I was born in Tacoma and have lived in Pierce County most of my life. I know our community and understand our problems and promise.
Everyone deserves equal access to courts and fair treatment before them. That requires that people who have behaved similarly be treated similarly, and that outcomes not vary based on immutable characteristics or political considerations. If given the privilege to serve you as Superior Court judge, I will do my utmost to ensure this.
I’ve been endorsed by law enforcement groups and others. Please join me in pursuing justice through law, not politics.
Brian
Wasankari
Campaign website:
https://brian4judge.com
Education: Juris Doctor, University of Washington, 1998; B.A. summa cum laude, Washington State University, 1995; Various Professional Military Education Programs, through ILE/CGSOC (pending)
Experience: Pierce County Deputy Prosecutor since 2000. Currently, High Priority Offender Unit Supervisor. Previously served as General Crimes Trial Unit supervisor in the Civil Division, Gangs, Burglary, Appeals, Special Assault, Drugs, and misdemeanors. Awards include the Sheriff ’s Department’s Deputy Prosecutor of the Year. Continued service as Army Reserve Judge Advocate.
What type of judge do you aspire to be? I aspire to be
a judge who listens respectfully, who can admit deficiencies in knowledge, and learn from the parties before him. I would demand that I put myself and my beliefs aside and follow only the facts and legal principles to reach decisions based on law, not politics or personal interest. Where there is room for discretion, it would be guided by reasoned equity to reach the most just result possible.
As a member of the legal community, what accomplishment(s) are you most proud of? Like most lawyers, I’m most proud of the times I’ve been able to help those in crisis - whether they be crime victims, defendants, civil litigants or others seeking assistance. As a judge advocate and deputy prosecutor I’ve had the privilege of practicing civil, criminal, and administrative law, and representing clients large and small, institutional and individual. However, I’m equally proud of my interactions with other counsel and the bench. I think it’s critically important that we view each other as colleagues rather than adversaries in a joint effort to build a lasting community.
What have you done or plan to do to eliminate bias
or improve access to the justice system? Clearly every member of the legal profession has both a legal and moral obligation to ensure equal justice for all, regardless of the immutable characteristics or economic circumstances of those involved. Judges, however, have a particular obligation to do so. Aside from ensuring that the proceedings before them
are conducted in an impartial and inclusive manner, jurists should work to ensure that the law itself is structured in such a way as to provide equal justice regardless of legally irrelevant factors. Because perception can impact reality, outreach to ensure the community at large is aware of the importance of
September/October 2024 | PIERCE COUNTY LAWYER 17