Washington Courts: Press Release DetailSupreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Madsen releases written State of the Judiciary addressJanuary 21, 2015
Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Madsen has released a written 2015 State of the Judiciary report detailing the successes and challenges faced by the state’s judicial branch over the past year. The report highlights significant new information and efforts affecting juvenile justice, substantial funding challenges facing trial courts and legal aid providers, development of a Tribal-State Court Consortium, launching of a new children’s representation program, the final preparations for a first-in-the-nation legal position created by Washington to start in 2015, and much more.
Traditionally the Chief Justice delivers an in-person address to the state legislature every other January during the longer budget session, but legislators cancelled that address this year.
“The Superior Court Judges’ Association sincerely hopes that the legislators will reinstitute the State of the Judiciary Address so that they may be fully apprised of the progress made and the challenges faced by the trial courts in serving the legislators’ constituents. The people of this State deserve nothing less,” said King County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ramsdell, president of the Superior Court Judges’ Association.
“Every day in courtrooms across Washington State, thousands of citizens seek justice and the peaceful resolution of disputes. The decisions reached in those courtrooms profoundly touch their lives and those of countless others,” Ramsdell said. “The work conducted by the judges in each one of those courtrooms represents the embodiment of the promise of equal justice. The realization of that promise, however, should never be taken for granted. Its survival requires constant vigilance and the concerted efforts and commitment of all branches of government.”
As Chief Justice, Madsen leads a constitutionally separate and equal branch of government whose mission is protecting rights and liberties guaranteed by the constitution and laws of the United States and the state of Washington, impartially upholding and interpreting the law, and providing open, just, and timely resolution of all matters before the courts.
“Because of the critical role our courts play in a free and fair society, I am providing a written version of the State of the Judiciary report to the House, the Senate and the general public,” Madsen said.
“I believe, as do my colleagues, that the in-person State of the Judiciary Address has served as a positive channel of communications between our branches of government. It is our hope that the Court will again be invited to make this important presentation.”
Madsen became the third woman to serve on the state’s highest court when she was first elected in 1992. She
was reelected in 1998, 2004 and 2010. In January, 2010, she also became the second woman to preside over
Washington’s judicial branch when she was sworn in as the 55th Chief Justice in state history. She was re-elected by her peers to a second term as Chief Justice in 2012.
Copies of the State of the Judiciary written report will be available online at www.courts.wa.gov
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