Date:  May 19, 2012

Location:  12-3 PM, YWCA Ballroom, Bellingham, Washington

Event:  Annual Meeting

The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County will make judicial campaigns the focus of their Annual Meeting on May 19.  Cathy Allen, President of The Connections Group and judicial campaign trainer with partner organization Justice at Stake, will talk about the judicial selection process in Washington state.  In addition to covering the basics of judicial elections, Allen will review efforts to promote a more diverse judiciary and regulate the funding of nonpartisan campaigns for selecting judges.  There will be a fee ($15) for those who would like to partake in the luncheon, but the admittance to the speech itself will be free to the public.

To register, e-mail ProgramChair@LWVbellinghamwhatcom.org. 

Date:  April 21, 2012

Location:  11:30-2:30 PM, Northwood Hall, Bellingham, Washington 

Event:  Panel Discussion

The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County offered a judicial diversity seminar, "Access and Justice for All," on April 21, 2012, featuring Washington Supreme Court Justice Steven Gonzalez; Deborah Fleck, Superior Court Judge and Chair of the Workforce Diversity Committee, which recently published “Building a Diverse Court;” Charles Snyder, Whatcom Superior Court Judge; Raquel Montoya-Lewis, Western Washington University assistant professor and Nooksack Indian Tribe Chief Judge; and was moderated by Robbi Ferron, Tribal Court Judge.  The seminar was an opportunity to explore why a diverse court is so important in  a multicultural society, what is being done in Washington and specifically Whatcom County  to promote diversity, and what the challenges are in crafting a representative bench. 

The presentation featured a provided lunch and was open to the public.

Date:  11 AM to 1 PM, April 18, 2012

Location:  Gonzaga University School of Law, 721 N Cincinnati Street, Spokane, Washington

Event:  Panel Discussion

Partners:  Moot Court Room, Gonzaga University

The League of Women Voters of Spokane, Washington, hosted a free public panel discussion entitled "Diversity on the Bench: Why It Matters" on April 18, 2012, in the Moot Court Room at Gonzaga University School of Law.  Panelists included Judge Maryann Moreno, Superior Court; Judge Gregory Sypolt, Superior Court; Judge Patty Connelly Walker, District Court; Judge Mary Logan, Municipal Court; and Judge Kenneth Kato, Court of Appeals (retired).  The panel was be moderated by George Critchlow, Associate Professor of Clinical Law Programs at Gonzaga University School of Law.   The event was open to the public and light refreshments were served.