FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2024 JUDICIAL CANDIDATE EVALUATION RESULTS
The Spokane County Bar Association releases findings for Judicial Candidates
(SPOKANE – July 19, 2024) The Spokane County Bar Association (SCBA) has released the results of the Judicial Candidates Evaluation Panel (Evaluation Panel) and Bar Poll. The SCBA is committed to responsibly reporting on the qualifications of candidates for judicial office and believes that the bar poll and judicial evaluation provide valuable information to the voting public.
Candidates are not required to participate. If a candidate elects not to participate, the SCBA will make no evaluation of nor comment on that specific candidate. However, the SCBA considers this evaluation to be the best process by which its members can make known their views as to those best qualified; accordingly, the SCBA requests that serious consideration be given to such evaluations.
Bar Poll
The Bar Poll was conducted by Washington State University’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, and is sent to all SCBA members in good standing. The Bar Poll measured legal ability, judicial temperament, integrity, relevant legal experience, and suitability. For each criterion candidates were rated along the following four-point scale as follows:
1 Not Qualified
2 Qualified
3 Well Qualified
4 Exceptionally Well Qualified
The results reported below show the average ratings for the candidate for the five stated categories:
| Superior Court Department 8 | Legal Ability | Judicial Temperament | Integrity | Relevant Legal Experience | Suitability |
| Brandon Casey | 2.44 | 2.67 | 2.78 | 2.48 | 2.45 |
| Marla Polin | 3.05 | 3.18 | 3.20 | 3.09 | 3.09 |
| Superior Court Department 11 | Legal Ability | Judicial Temperament | Integrity | Relevant Legal Experience | Suitability |
| Timothy Fennessy | 2.95 | 2.55 | 2.89 | 3.22 | 2.94 |
| Jerry Scharosch | 2.84 | 3.11 | 3.09 | 2.96 | 2.94 |
| Andrew Van Winkle | 2.18 | 2.34 | 2.49 | 2.16 | 2.16 |
Judicial Candidates Evaluation Panel
The Evaluation Panel is comprised of attorneys and retired judges representing criminal prosecution and defense, the Gonzaga School of Law, and a variety of private practices. The Evaluation Panel interviewed candidates, reviewed candidate materials and Washington State Bar Association records, and took into consideration Bar Poll findings to come to its conclusions.
The Evaluation Panel was led by SCBA President-Elect Darren Digiacinto. Digiacinto states, “The SCBA is pleased to announce the results of the Judicial Candidates Evaluation Panel and Bar Poll. We believe these results are useful in helping our community members to better understand the quality and fitness of the candidates for its judiciary. We strongly believe that those who wish to judge the members of our community should first submit to evaluation from their peers in the law.”
The Evaluation Panel results are as follows:
Spokane County Superior Court, Department 8
| Brandon Casey | Well Qualified |
| Marla Polin | Exceptionally Well Qualified |
Spokane County Superior Court, Department 11
| Timothy Fennessy | Well Qualified |
| Jerry Scharosch | Exceptionally Well Qualified |
| Andrew Van Winkle | Qualified |
CONTACT
Mark Wardrop, SCBA Assistant Executive Director, (509) 477-2672, MWardrop@SpokaneBar.org.
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The Spokane County Bar Association is a nonprofit civic organization, which works to enhance the
integrity and competence of the legal community and to pursue greater access to justice for all.