Eight judge finalists selected

Spokane Mayor Mary Verner has selected eight finalists to fill the city’s three open judgeships for its new independent municipal court.

Twenty people applied for the positions, which will pay between $102,000 and $126,000, depending on experience.

Last week’s snowstorm set back the selection process, Verner said. Interviews scheduled with the finalists were canceled Thursday and Friday and moved to the weekend.

City Council President Joe Shogan said Verner’s appointments likely won’t be made final until a special City Council session on Jan. 2 – the first day of operations for the new court, which will handle misdemeanor cases that occur within city limits.

The decision to separate from the county gives Verner the unique opportunity to select a slate of judges, positions typically filled by election. Those who are picked will run for election in November if they want to keep their position.

Among the finalists are public defenders, a deputy prosecutor and a Spokane County District Court commissioner whose job was eliminated as a result of the city’s decision this month to separate from the county’s court system.

“The challenge of being involved in the establishment of a new court would be an exciting challenge,” said finalist Donald Kellman, who was interviewed on Saturday.

Those who didn’t make the cut include former Spokane County District Court Judge Harvey Dunham, County District Court Commissioner Brad Chinn, former Gonzaga University Law School Dean John Clute and Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor David Stevens.

The city’s municipal court has been part of the county’s District Court for decades. In 1999, city voters overwhelmingly rejected a plan to separate from the county system.

But the combined system came into question last year when a state appeals court overturned DUI convictions of two Spokane men. That ruling said District Court judges had no authority to hear city cases because state law requires city misdemeanor charges to be considered by judges elected only by city voters. District Court judges are elected countywide.

Verner selected an advisory committee to assist her with interviews and the selections. The panel includes Superior Court Judge Maryann Moreno, Spokane County District Court Judge John Cooney, and Breean Beggs, executive director of the Center for Justice, which represented the men whose DUI convictions were overturned.

Asked what he’s looking for in a judge, Beggs had a simple answer:

“This is going to sound cliché, but it’s to follow the law,” Beggs said. “Once a person takes on a personal agenda, the system breaks down.”

County and city leaders worked for months to reorganize the court to keep the city within the county system. But Verner decided it was too risky to proceed because the partnership requires changes in state law that are not certain to happen.

County commissioners criticized the last-minute withdrawal from the court – with only a month to plan. But last week, they agreed to allow the city to set up its Municipal Court at the Public Safety Building, where it has operated in partnership with the county.

They had considered raising rent and had said they had other needs for the space.

The city estimates it will save $80,000 next year by creating its own court.

Commissioners said they proceeded with the deal because they took city leaders at their word that the separation might be temporary.

“We’re holding out hope that we can salvage that concept,” said Commissioner Mark Richard.