Page 13 - Tacoma-Pierce County Lawyer Magazine - September October 2018
P. 13

THE HONORABLE ELIZABETH VERHEY
By Jennifer Taylor
Judge Elizabeth Verhey of the Tacoma Municipal Court is aware that attorneys, and their clients, have
strong feelings about her. “ ey either really love me, or they really hate me,” she says, smiling. In her courtroom, her demeanor is decidedly  rm and serious. She expects attorneys to be prompt and prepared, as more than one unsuspecting young practitioner has learned to his or her peril1. O  the bench, she is warm, humorous, friendly and has a wonderful, appealing laugh that  lls a room. Judge Verhey has served the people of the City of Tacoma and Pierce County as a judge for more than 25 years. In December of this year she will retire, at the end of her sixth term on the bench.
A native Washingtonian, Judge Verhey was raised east of the Cascades. Her
mother and father were both from farming families. Her father raised 180,000 turkeys a year, in addition
to having apple and cherry orchards. Like most kids that grew up on farms, Judge Verhey and her three younger sisters were responsible for a variety of chores, including helping to feed and water thousands of birds and assisting with operating the irrigation systems. A er graduating from high school in 1978, Judge Verhey enrolled at Central Washington University, studying Law and Justice and Political Science. She graduated magna cum laude three years later. In 1981, she entered the University of Puget Sound School of Law. A er obtaining her J.D., Judge Verhey was hired as an associate for Gri n & Enslow, focusing primarily on criminal defense and civil litigation. In 1987 the  rm restructured as Gri n, Imperiale, Bobman & Verhey, where she was an equity partner.  e following year Judge Verhey married fellow Tacoma attorney, Jim Leggett2.
Judge Verhey  rst donned a black robe as a judge pro tem in the Pierce County District Court, a er having been in practice for several years. She was appearing in front of Judge Filis Otto of the Pierce County District Court one day in 1987 when the judge called her to the bench. Judge Verhey admits she was  lled with some trepidation as she approached, anticipating that she had made some error for which she was about to be chastised. To her surprise, Judge Otto asked whether she would
be interested and willing to serve as
a pro tem in Judge Otto’s courtroom. Judge Verhey agreed, and soon other judges, including Judge Larkin, Judge McCarthy, Judge Heller and Judge Gary Sullivan, were having her serve as a pro tem in their courtrooms. In June of 1993 she was appointed a full-time court commissioner in Pierce County District Court, and served alongside Judge Ron Culpepper, who was at the time a court commissioner. In December 1994 the Tacoma City Council appointed Judge Verhey to  ll an unexpired term in the
Tacoma Municipal Court; she was sworn in February, 1995. She was subsequently elected to this position in November of that year, and was re-elected in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014.
During her time on the bench Judge Verhey was instrumental in establishing the Substance Abuse Court, Driver’s Relicensing Program, and the Mental Health Courts for the Municipal
Court. She also developed the City’s Community Service Work Crew,
which allows people to work o  their  nes and costs.  e most satisfying aspect of being a judge, for her, is when defendants return to court and thank her for providing the motivation to make positive changes in their lives.
She really likes taking the bench in a full courtroom where everyone is on time and prepared, when defendants are ready with their binders or folders, and are anxious to show her that they have accomplished what she ordered them to do. “I like the times where I can compliment them on a job well done.  ey truly glow with pride.”
 ere have been challenges as well. When asked what she liked least about being on the bench, Judge Verhey was pensive. She  nds it di cult to watch individuals spiral out of control and make poor choices, impacting their lives as well as those of their loved ones. She also admits to being frustrated with attorneys who are unprepared for court, primarily because of the disservice to their clients, but also to their colleagues and to the justice system itself. “Many times the only contact a person might have with the justice system is in a court of limited jurisdiction, and sometimes, unfortunately, they watch attorneys who have not prepared their case on so many levels.”
Judge Verhey demurred from sharing “war stories” from her years on the bench. Having known her for the last
Continued on next page.>>
1. I have  rsthand experience on this point. The  rst 9 years of my career with the Tacoma City Attorney’s Of ce were spent in the Prosecution Division; most of them were spent practicing in front of Judge Verhey. She certainly put me through my paces in my early years. I am forever indebted to her for it.
2. Many thanks to Judge Karena Kirkendoll for the excellent and detailed 2001 Bar News pro le she wrote about Judge Verhey, which served for this piece as a source for the judge’s background prior to taking the bench.
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