Meet David

I’ve lived in King County for more than 40 years, and I’m running for election to add a very unique perspective to our excellent King County Superior Court system. I started life as a high school dropout, and the first time I came to King County Superior Court was as a juvenile defendant. I’ve done a lot with the second chances I’ve been given, but I believe I can do more as a Superior Court Judge. Despite growing up in poverty and never finishing high school, today I serve as:

• President of the Federal Bar Association for Western Washington.
• Board President of Northwest Justice Project, Washington’s largest provider of civil legal aid.
• A member of the Seattle Community Police Commission.
• A judge pro tempore in King County District Court and in municipal court.

As a Superior Court Judge, I will draw on my personal experience and leadership to provide equity for those with fewer resources. Not only am I Board President of our State’s largest civil legal aid provider, but I am also a member of the Washington Supreme Court’s Civil Legal Needs Study Committee.

As a Superior Court Judge, I will draw on my experience as an advocate and ally to provide access to justice for marginalized communities. I have worked with my colleagues on the Seattle Community Police Commission to address bias in policing, I work with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity to help broaden opportunities in the legal profession, and I devote a large portion of my practice to providing free legal assistance for the civil rights of immigrants and those who are incarcerated.

As a Superior Court Judge, I will put my knowledge of criminal justice to work for victims of crime. I not only spent nearly 15 years as a federal law enforcement agent investigating crimes like fraud and human trafficking, but I have also served as a King County Special Deputy Prosecutor. My experience investigating and prosecuting crimes will inform my judgement in the courtroom where the rights of victims are critical.

As a Superior Court Judge, I will draw on my experience as a judge pro tempore when making decisions. A judge pro tempore is kind of like a substitute teacher judge who fills in for judges in our district and municipal courts. I am an experienced judge pro tempore in King County, in both criminal and civil matters, and that experience, combined with my leadership and professional background, will serve our community well in Superior Court.

As a Superior Court Judge, I will put my past as a juvenile offender and my present as a champion for justice to work on behalf of our County’s youth. While I started life as a defendant in juvenile court, today I serve on the Board of the 180 Program, trying to keep young people out of the justice system, and the Board of TeamChild, which provides civil legal aid to youth in distress.

As a Superior Court Judge, I will use my experience in complex litigation in the many civil cases our County’s court system handles each year. I earned my law degree at night while working full-time as a federal law enforcement agent. I investigated crimes by day and studied law at night. Despite that nearly 100-hour a week commitment, I graduated with top honors, summa cum laude, and today work in complex litigation at one of the nation’s top law firms.

David and his daughter Maggie