Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

State of the Judiciary Address

Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice to Unveil

Court Funding Reform Plan during

State of the Judiciary Address on January 18

Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander will unveil the first phase of a plan to reform funding of Washington’s trial courts, public defense and civil legal services during the 2005 State of the Judiciary Address on January 18.

The address will begin at noon before a joint session of the Washington State Legislature.

The funding reform plan is a result of extensive research and collaboration by the Board for Judicial Administration’s Court Funding Task Force, which included more than 100 members statewide. The Task Force released its final report in late December detailing significant and increasing problems in the state justice system caused by an inadequate and lopsided funding system.  Washington’s current system has counties and cities paying for nearly 90 percent of trial court costs, prosecution and public defense, ranking 50th in the nation for state government participation in such funding, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Alexander will discuss the findings of the Task Force and the first phase of a long-range plan for stabilizing court funding in Washington.

Alexander is the Supreme Court’s 52^nd chief justice, and was recently elected to a second four-year term as chief by his fellow justices. It will make him the longest-serving chief justice in state history. He was elected to the Court in 1994 after serving for more than two decades as a superior court judge in Thurston and Mason Counties and on the state Court of Appeals, Division Two.

Alexander’s address will be carried live via TVW, Washington’s Public Affairs Network.  Copies of his address will be available online at www.courts.wa.gov immediately following the event.

Wendy K. Ferrell Judicial Communications Manager 360.705.5331 e-mail Wendy.Ferrell@courts.wa.gov

Lorrie Thompson Communications Officer 360.705.5347 Lorrie.Thompson@courts.wa.gov