Page 16 - Pierce County Lawyer - January February 2025

BECOMING AND BEING A JUDGE:
An Interview with Tacoma Municipal Court
Presiding Judge Steve Krupa By Professor John Weaver, ret.
As lawyers we
are really
interested
in judges. Of course
we are, as if we
are litigators, they
control our lives. We
are just transactional
lawyers, we frame
our deals and write our documents in light of the opinions they
have written. Some of us aspire to be judges. In this magazine
we have had stories about people who want to be judges,
short articles about judges when they are recently elected or
appointed, and usually when they retire.
But, what do we know about becoming a judge—getting elected
and learning how to be a judge rather than a lawyer.
Steve Krupa was a practicing lawyer for 28 years when he
became a judge. I decided to ask him about what it was like
running for and becoming a judge. My questions and his
answers are below. I haven’t edited his remarks. Whether you
are thinking about becoming a judge, or merely want to know
more about what it’s like to be a judge, I think these remarks
will provide some insight.
In the interests of space, I’ve shortened some answers and
deleted some material about pro-tem judging. But I believe it
is safe to say that Judge Krupa’s time as pro-tem judge is what
made him decide to become a full-time judge. My questions are
in bold. His answers in regular type.
Did you always think you wanted to become a judge?
No. I had never considered becoming a judge until after I
left private practice. Frankly, based on what I heard from my
friends on the bench, I was put off by the political aspect of
the election process and didn’t want any part of it. However, I
quickly found that I missed the courtroom and public service,
and I recognized the real need that Municipal Court had so I
decided to run.
I know you did pro-tem judging; how did that affect
your decision to run for judge?
I think pro-tem judging was very important to my decision to
run. I was a trial lawyer and was very used to the courtroom,
but I needed to see how I would like being on the other side of
the bench.
To me, being a pro tem is a little like doing pro bono work or
taking appointments. It’s not for the money. It’s for giving back
to the community and for public service. Of course, it’s also the
best way to decide whether a judicial career is for you.
Now turn to some questions about running for judge
and then stepping into the role:
What sources and people did you consult about setting
up your campaign?
I talked to my friends on the Bench who had been through
the process. This is an absolute must. I also read some books
about campaigning for local offices and looked at the wealth
of information on the web about running for local office in
general and for judge in particular.
What were some of the campaign activities that you
enjoyed and some that you didn’t?
I loved door-belling and going out and meeting people at
festivals, markets and other functions. I also enjoyed meeting
with labor and professional organizations.
What would you do differently if you were running for
the first time again?
I can’t think of much I would do differently. I tried to have as
much fun as possible and keep a good attitude. Fortunately,
I had the luxury of having a fulfilling legal aid job, a good
retirement in place, and a loving family behind me. So,
while I really wanted to win and believed that I could make
a difference, I knew it would be OK if things didn’t work
out. I think maybe I would work even harder at getting out
and talking to the voters as that was the absolute best part of
campaigning.
What kind of additional training did you get before you
really settled in and started judging?
All new judges are required to attend Judicial College which
is very helpful, especially for those who haven’t had much
courtroom experience. Just like attorneys, judges are required
to attend continuing education (CJEs) to keep up on issues and
sharpen or gain new skills. As noted above, I had done a lot of
pro-tem judging so I felt ready to just jump in. I can’t stress how
important it is to do pro-tem judging before deciding to run or
taking the bench.
How much did that new or additional training add to
what you already knew from being a pro-tem?
There were some helpful things. I have to say that having been
a trial attorney for as long as I had been also gave me a very
strong background on what I needed to know. Frankly I wish
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