Superior Court Judge Charles Burdell Resigns

Judge Charles S. Burdell has resigned from the King County Superior Court bench, effective April 16, to join a private judging firm.

Burdell, 46, who was appointed to the court by Gov. Booth Gardner in November 1987, announced his resignation yesterday.

Known for his work as a settlement judge, Burdell handled more settlement conferences for civil cases than any other Superior Court judge in 1989.

Burdell will work full time for the Seattle office of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services Inc. (JAMS). The Seattle office of the California-based firm was founded here last July.

With Burdell, the company will have 18 judges, most of whom have 20 or more years on the bench.

Burdell and Judge Terrence Carroll recently conducted a mass settlement conference which settled most of the asbestos cases set for trial in the court the first six months of 1990.

``Settlement of civil litigation benefits the parties and the court,'' Burdell said. The parties avoid the expense and anxiety of continued litigation, and the court's caseload is substantially reduced, he said.

Burdell, whose salary is $82,700, will be getting a raise.

Besides this vacancy, the governor must appoint a 45th judge for the court, a new position created by the Legislature that begins in July, and a 46th who will begin in January.