Many hopefuls for Superior Court

Even the candidates say it's difficult for voters to make an informed choice about whom to select for King County Superior Court judge.

This year, numbers add to the confusion: There are 10 open seats and 24 candidates vying for a job that pays $111,549 annually.

The hopefuls are prosecutors, public defenders, corporate attorneys and family-law practitioners. There are attorneys who have spent decades in King County Superior Court and others who have never appeared before the bench.

And there is a wide disparity in the King County Bar Association ratings awarded to the candidates. Seven received the bar's highest evaluation of "exceptionally well qualified"; four were deemed "not qualified."

Here's a breakdown of each race by position:

Position 2: Cheryl Carey, 43, works for the state Attorney General's Office, overseeing the Seattle regional office of the labor and personnel division. She previously worked for the King County Prosecutor's Office in the criminal division.

"I'd like to find a way to lower the backlog (in cases)," she said. She said her experience in civil and criminal law make her the better candidate. She was rated "well qualified."

Holly Holman, 44, is a family-court commissioner at the Regional Justice Center in Kent. She spent 15 years in private practice, focusing on family law.

"What I think sets us apart is experience," she said. "I have far more judicial experience than Cheryl, though my criminal background is not as vast as hers." The bar rated Holman "adequate."

Position 3: Gov. Gary Locke appointed Judge Julie Spector in November. That prompted a challenge from solo practitioner Mike Jensen.

"Anyone who's appointed ought to stand for re-election. I think voters ought to have a choice," said Jensen.

In his Kent office, Jensen, 37, handles business and real-estate matters. He's taken criminal-defense cases in the past and says his breadth of experience makes him the better choice. Jensen is rated "not qualified" by the bar.

Spector, 42, has a varied career that includes stints as a defense attorney in private practice, prosecutor and public defender. She said voters should focus on her extensive trial experience, and is rated "exceptionally well qualified" by the bar.

Position 11: There are four candidates vying for this seat. If a candidate doesn't earn 50 percent in the primary, there will be a general-election runoff between the top two candidates.

Two candidates are rated "exceptionally well qualified": Catherine Shaffer and Mike Finkle.

Finkle, 43, is a supervisor at the Seattle City Attorney's Office, where he has worked for more than 10 years.

He practices almost exclusively in Municipal Court.

He says he has the most to offer, even though he rarely has appeared in King County Superior Court.

Shaffer, 42, has been with the criminal division of the King County Prosecutor's Office for 10 years. She also serves as temporary Des Moines Municipal Court judge.

"I think it's really important for a judge to have experience handling civil and criminal cases and judicial experience," she said.

Robert Bryan, 58, is a partner in a two-attorney downtown law firm. His practice is split between personal injury and criminal defense. He was a deputy King County prosecutor from 1967 to 1970. Before that, he was a trumpet player in a dance band. He is rated "well qualified."

Richard L. Jones, 48, - not to be confused with incumbent Judge Richard A. Jones, who is not up for election - is a frequent critic of the King County judiciary and represents small businesses. Two years ago, the state Court of Appeals fined him $500 for filing a frivolous appeal after a lower court ruled that he violated evidence rules in a civil case.

Jones refused to participate in the bar's screening process. The bar's screening panel examined appellate decisions and other legal records to determine a rating of "not qualified."

Position 15: This race has an unusual partisan twist.

Michael Morgan, a public defender in the Regional Justice Center, is endorsed by the King County Republican Party.

Judge Mary Yu, who was appointed to the bench by Locke in March, is a former King County prosecutor who has been endorsed by the King County Democratic Party.

Both candidates say it's unusual for the GOP to back a public defender while Democrats endorse a prosecutor.

Morgan, 41, said he has considerable trial experience in King County Superior Court, while Yu served mostly as an administrator in the prosecutor's office.

"I find it shocking that my opponent has never tried a complex case," he said. "I offer the voter the choice between experience and inexperience." Morgan is rated "adequate."

"There is no question Mr. Morgan has more trial experience than I do," said Yu, 43. "The type of person you're looking for has the ability to learn and ask for assistance." Yu said she has the endorsement of plenty of attorneys who have appeared in her court. She is rated "exceptionally well qualified."

Position 17: Judge Donald Haley - a 17-year veteran and the third-most-senior judge on the bench - is fighting for re-election against former San Juan County prosecutor Frederick Canavor.

Canavor, 56, who lost a bid to be King County prosecuting attorney two years ago, said he is running to unseat Haley and would not have filed against any other candidate.

Haley, 67, did not score particularly well in a 1999 judicial survey. Thirty-three percent of the attorneys polled said Haley's overall performance on the bench was less than satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

"Voters can well afford to lose any judge with those kinds of ratings," said Canavor. "If I received those ratings in four years, I wouldn't run again." Canavor was rated "not qualified" by the bar association.

Haley said he has a good reputation and that he has tried every kind of case except capital murder. He said the public should vote to keep a judge with his experience at a time when 25 percent of the sitting judges will have less than a year on the job. He is rated "well qualified" by the bar.

Position 21: Greg Canova, 52, is a senior assistant state attorney general in the criminal division. He unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the state Supreme Court two years ago, losing to Justice Richard Sanders. His bar rating is "exceptionally well qualified."

Raymond Gessel, 43, practices in Kent and said he is most concerned with making Superior Court more accessible to citizens. "We need to encourage professionalism, not a good-old-boy network," he said. Gessel is rated "adequate."

Joe Lynch, 48, is a public defender in Kent. He also teaches business law at Seattle Central Community College.

"I represent poor people who often have a difficult time having their claims understood in court," he said. He is rated "well qualified."

Position 25: Judge Jim Doerty says he has focused on families in his year on the job.

A Locke appointee, he faces a challenge from King County District Judge Linda Thompson.

Doerty, 54, who spent five years as a court commissioner on the family-law calendar, said he wants to maintain a priority of kids and families as a Superior Court judge. He is rated "exceptionally well qualified."

Thompson, 51, said she planned to run for judge this year, and decided to challenge Doerty because she figured his base of support was largely in Seattle, and she could sway suburban voters.

She said her experience in District Court makes her an ideal Superior Court judge. She is rated "adequate."

Position 26: Judge Jeanette Burrage - who has been rated "not qualified" by the bar in each of her three judicial elections - faces a challenge from former Court Commissioner Laura Gene Middaugh.

Burrage has been endorsed by many Republican lawmakers; Middaugh has courted the Democratic vote.

Burrage, 47, said she is one of the most efficient judges on the bench and has a high percentage of her rulings upheld on appeal. However, dozens of attorneys assigned to her court have asked that their cases be moved to another judge.

Middaugh, 51, is a former nurse who says her experience as a health-care provider, lawyer and court commissioner make her an ideal judge.

"I jump into things, and I work really hard at them," she said. She is rated "adequate."

Position 30: Paris Kimberley Kallas, 43, said her current position as a commissioner at the Washington state Court of Appeals provides her a unique opportunity to review thousands of judicial decisions.

"No one is happy to come to a courtroom," she said. "A good judge must have the personal skills to handle the courtroom with compassion." She is rated "well-qualified."

This is the third judicial race for Doug North. A private attorney who handles family-law and personal-injury cases, North, 48, has been involved with several environmental causes, and he wants to improve access to the court system. He is rated "exceptionally well qualified."

Position 51: Bill Budigan, 43, has handled criminal, family law and business cases. He said the current bench is made up of plenty of lawyers with criminal experience, and his background in civil matters would be an asset. He is rated "not qualified."

John Erlick, 46, is a partner at the Reed McClure firm and handles a wide variety of cases. He is endorsed by several judges and Democratic state lawmakers. "My reputation for fairness and record of integrity is reflected in my endorsements," he said. He is rated "exceptionally well qualified."

Kris Jensen, 38, is a marathon runner and bike racer whose Seattle practice focuses on trademarks and copyrights. He has experience as a temporary District Court judge, and says the court must reduce the 18-month wait for civil cases. He is rated "adequate."

Alex Fryer's phone message number is 206-464-8124. His e-mail address is afryer@seattletimes.com.