Cozza Wins Another Term

Spokane County District Court Judge Sam Cozza scored an easy victory in the two-man race for a Superior Court judgeship.

Cozza defeated Superior Court Commissioner Royce Moe.

Moe ran for a similar seat two years ago and finished second. Cozza has been a District Court judge for the past six years.

Both men received strong support and endorsements from area attorneys and judges. Moe scored better than Cozza with county lawyers, edging his opponent in a survey based on lawyers’ ratings of the candidates’ legal skills and knowledge.

Cozza said Moe mistakenly “placed most of his eggs in that basket” and hoped county residents would use the poll to guide their votes.

“In this day and age, most people are not willing to concede that lawyers are smarter than anyone else,” Cozza said.

Cozza said he chose, instead, to take his case to people through a traditional campaign of doorbell-ringing and targeted advertising.

“We only spent about $25,000 on the race,” said Cozza. He called that a step away from the growing trend of excessive campaign costs for judicial races.

Cozza will fill the $99,000 a year job being vacated by resigning Judge Thomas Merryman.

, DataTimes