Page 20 - 2025 May June Magazine

The State Champions: Seattle Preparatory
WHY THE Y?
By Judge Lizanne Padula
Each of us has our own reason why we serve and give back
to our community. For me, my ‘why’ is our community’s
youth and their role in the future of our courts and
government. I choose to give back through our local schools and
the YMCA Mock Trial program. The Y’s Youth & Government
Program has a saying, “Democracy must be learned by each
generation”. The YMCA is committed to that goal. The Y’s Mock
Trial program is a statewide competition that encourages high
school students to engage in critical thinking, teamwork, and
dispute resolution in a fair and appropriate manner through our
courts.
When I first took the bench in 2019, I was eager to get involved
and, with no idea what to expect, volunteered to judge at the
YMCA Mock Trial State Finals in Olympia. It only took one
evening for me to get hooked! I wanted to coach a team and
assumed Pierce County would have several teams that I could
join and coach. Boy, was I wrong! Tacoma & Pierce County
had only one team - Tacoma School of the Arts (SOTA).
Accordingly, I searched for a high school where I could start
a team and ultimately found Oakland High School, where
there was an enthusiastic sponsoring teacher. As an alternative
school, Oakland students are often experiencing dire home
circumstances and other obstacles that may not be experienced
by kids in other schools. Starting a team at Oakland was
challenging, but rewarding.
With the help of several attorneys* we maintained the Oakland
team for five years, until our sponsoring teacher left for another
job. A mock trial team does not survive without a very dedicated
sponsoring teacher. Around this time, the YMCA sent an email
explaining that Thurston County was no longer an option for
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown speaks at the Sunday breakfast,
attended by all the student participants, on the last day of competition
the site of the State Finals, which were only a few months away.
I immediately volunteered Pierce County as a location. Again,
like that first trip to Olympia, I had no idea what to expect
but I knew this was important, and I was confident that our
Tacoma-Pierce County Bench and Bar would welcome this
opportunity. This time, I was right! Our amazing Tacoma-Pierce
County legal community embraced these worthy events. Judges,
lawyers and court staff generously gave their time, knowledge
and courtrooms to make the 2024 YMCA State Finals a great
success. The 2025 Regional Tournament and State Finals were
even better.
This year, I am succeeding Clark County Superior Court Judge
Robert Lewis, who had taken over for King County Superior
Court Judge William Downing (now retired), as the State
YMCA Mock Trial Program Chair. As the Program Chair, I
am responsible for drafting the competition case, organizing
the two tournaments, and attending the National Mock
Trial Competition. I hope to some day bring the National
Tournament to our County-City Building (CCB). I know that
following Judge Downing and Judge Lewis will be a challenge,
but I am committed and passionate about our State’s YMCA
Mock Trial Program.
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Rumbaugh presides over a round
of competition at the State Finals
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Sorensen presiding
over a round of competition at the State Finals
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