Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Supreme Court Reporter of Decisions, Rick Neidhardt, Passes Away

Washington State Supreme Court Reporter of Decisions Rick Neidhardt died of an apparent heart attack at home in Olympia on Saturday, March 31.  He was 60.

Neidhardt was appointed by the Court’s nine justices to the role of Reporter of Decisions on Feb. 4, 2013, after serving in the judicial branch for many years. The Reporter of Decisions is an officer of the Supreme Court as established in article IV, section 18 of the state Constitution. The position oversees reviewing and editing the hundreds of opinions and orders issued by the Supreme Court each year, as well as preparing the decisions and opinions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals for publication in the official court reports.

Neidhardt served as the 10th Reporter in state history. He replaced Danilo Anselmo, who left the office in 2011 to become the Deputy Reporter of Decisions for the United States Supreme Court. 

“Rick first joined the Temple of Justice family 33 years ago,” said Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst. “We will miss his excellent work and leadership, but we will most miss seeing his great smile and the twinkle in his eyes.”

Neidhardt had served as a law clerk for Justice Barbara Durham, Justice Charles Johnson and Justice Barbara Madsen, and was also a legal analyst for the Administrative Office of the Courts.  He also served as counsel for the Washington State House of Representatives’ Office of Program Research, and as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Thurston County.

He was a double graduate of the University of Michigan, receiving his B.A. in 1980 and his law degree cum laude in 1984. Neidhardt served on the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform and wrote a law review article that was cited by the United States Supreme Court.

In 2016, Neidhardt happily announced the development of a new web site that provides all Washington State Court of Appeals and Supreme Court opinions dating back through territorial days, free of charge. The intent of the new site was to provide the public with free and easy access to a legal database that has accurate and fully updated versions of the state’s precedential case law. The Washington State Judicial Opinions website, at www.lexisnexis.com/clients/wareports, has the full text of each published opinion along with introductory background statements about each case.

Neidhardt is survived by his daughters Mia and Caitlin Neidhardt, their mother Kristi Olson-Neidhardt, his sister Jane Neidhardt and their mother Elizabeth Neidhardt, and his brother Marc Chipault, as well as his companion Nancy Stratton Hall. A memorial service is planned for Saturday April 14th at one o'clock at the First United Methodist Church of Olympia.

Appointment of a new Reporter of Decisions will go through a normal selection process overseen by the Supreme Court Personnel Committee. Final appointment will be made by a vote of the nine justices of the Court.

“Rick will be remembered for his kindness and dedication to the Washington State judicial branch,” said Washington State Court Administrator Callie Dietz.  “He was a friend to all and served with distinction. He will be greatly missed.”