Page 17 - Pierce County Lawyer - January February 2025

there were more training on the administrative side of being a
judge (running a court, dealing with personnel, budgeting etc.)
What’s the administrative side of being a judge?
It’s a lot of work! I owned part of a firm for 25 years and I had
been in command positions in the military, so I had a lot of
administrative experience, but I was surprised at the amount
of administrative work a judge has. The Courtroom Judge part
of it is just the visible part. There are personnel, budgeting,
training, management, technology and a host of other issues
that you will be involved in. One thing to remember is that you
are now working in, and running, a branch of government so
think about all that this would entail before you decide to run
for judge. Pro-tem judging does not give you any experience in
this aspect of the job.
What’s surprised you most since you became a
full-time judge?
I guess I’m a little surprised about how lonely the job is. Maybe
"lonely" isn’t the right word. Maybe "isolating" is better. Yes,
there are fellow judges who are your good friends and who you
can talk to and rely on, but I do miss the comaraderie of the Bar
and being one of the people in the trenches.
Now that you’re a judge what would you tell your
former self about being a better lawyer?
Hmm, I’m not sure about that one. Maybe have more patience
with the judge? Don’t assume that the judge has a handle on
everything - they’re human and have lives too. Make sure your
arguments are easy to follow and organized.
Some of our readers may be thinking about either
pro-tem or full-time judging. What should they be
thinking about in making that decision?
First, I would say to make sure you have a good amount
of courtroom experience. I’m not sure that you need as
many trials as I had, but you need to be familiar with and
comfortable in the courtroom. Second, you need to have a firm
understanding of the Court Rules and the Rules of Evidence.
Third, you need to be able to think on your feet. No one likes a
judge who can’t make a decision. Go watch some experienced
judges work, especially in contested hearings and trials, and
see how they do it. You should also sit in on some of the more
pedestrian calendars and make sure your personality is suited
for what some might find extremely boring.
As to running for judge, I can tell you that I have heard many
judicial candidates say that they wouldn’t wish the process on
their worst enemy. The bottom line on a judicial race is: it’s
Politics with all that you can imagine that term entails. A lot of
exceptionally well qualified attorneys who would make brilliant
judges find the process distasteful and would never run. If
you keep all of this in perspective and hopefully are running
because you believe in public service and want to make a
difference, you should be fine. Finally, be aware that running
for any office is essentially a full-time job and it will entail
considerable out of pocket expense.
John Weaver is a retired Professor of Law from
Seattle University School of Law. He began
teaching at UPS School of Law in 1972. He is
a resident of Tacoma and serves as the Law
School Liaison to the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar
Association. He is an honorary life-time member
of the TPCBA.
“Four things belong to a judge: To hear
courteously; to answer wisely; to consider
soberly; and to decide impartially.”
- Socrates
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