Editorials

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   HAVE YOUR SAY Feel strongly about something? Share it with the community by writing a letter to the editor. You’ll need to include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) We reserve the right to edit letters, but if you keep yours to 250 words or less, we won’t ask you to shorten it. If your letter is published, please wait 30 days before submitting another. Send it to: E-mail: letters@heraldnet.com Mail: Letters section The Herald P.O. Box 930 Everett, WA 98206 Fax: 425-339-3458 Have a question about letters? Contact Carol MacPherson (cmacpherson@heraldnet.com or 425-339-3472).   Published: Sunday, October 11, 2009 ENDORSEMENT / SNOHOMISH COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE Wilson is well-prepared The untimely illness, retirement and death of Snohomish County Superior Court Judge James Allendoerfer has created an unusual five-way race for an open seat in the Nov. 3 general election. The top vote-getter, even if short of a majority, will serve the final three years of Allendoerfer’s term. Superior Court is the highest trial court in the state system, hearing felony criminal cases and a variety of civil matters, including difficult family law and custody cases. Judges carry a demanding workload; the best bring a deep and varied well of legal and community experience, a demonstrated work ethic, and a keen knowledge of and respect for the law. In this race, we think the candidate with the best combination of those traits is Joe Wilson. We were impressed with him when he ran for the bench two years ago, and would have endorsed him then if George Appel had not also been in that race. Wilson, an Everett native, has been in private practice for 16 years, where he has tried a wide variety of criminal and civil cases in Superior Court, and has made successful arguments before the state Court of Appeals and state Supreme Court. As impressive is his record of service for community organizations, particularly his work in support of crime victims and on the board of Snohomish County Domestic Violence Services. He also has served as a pro-tem judge at the District Court level. Wilson’s struggle with alcoholism has come up during the campaign, appropriately. He has three alcohol-related driving convictions on his record, a serious matter. To his credit, he has owned up to his record publicly, and says that with the help of family and friends, has been alcohol-free for more than 10 years. We commend him for dealing forthrightly with a troubling part of his past. Next to Wilson, we think Rico Tessandore has the best potential to be a good judge. He is well-regarded by former colleagues in the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office, and has worked as a pro-tem judge in the Superior and District courts. He is currently a civil law attorney, working as in-house counsel for Farmers Insurance. At age 38, Tessandore has time to gain even more valuable experience. David Hulbert is a former Superior Court judge who lost his seat in 2004 to Eric Lucas, then lost a rematch last year. He touts his 12 years of experience on the bench as his biggest advantage, but that experience included having an overwhelming number of affidavits of prejudice filed against him — representing a lack of confidence in him by attorneys who try cases in Superior Court. Scott Peterson is a private-practice attorney who primarily represents consumers. He says his success in appealing Superior Court rulings shows that much time and money is wasted on poor decisions at that level, something he would work to improve. We think Wilson and Tessandore both offer a wider range of pertinent experience. Scott Lord works in the Family Support Division of the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office and owns an Everett restaurant. He’s a passionate advocate for increasing the reach of the county’s successful drug court, but his depth of experience doesn’t match his opponents’. READER COMMENTS Log in or register to post new comment | Log out Really Herald!?!? I am not sure where the Editorial Board got the idea that Joe Wilson has been clean and sober. In an interview with King 5 news he offered to sit down and have a beer with congressman Joe Wilson and Barack Obama. Here's the link to the interview. http://www.king5.com/video/index.html?nvid=397753 I am not saying Joe Wilson is a bad person, I am sure he is a fine person. But if the basis of the endorsement is premised on him no longer drinking a drop of alcohol then I think someone didn't do their homework. Matthew Walker | Oct 13, 2009 12:20 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal You want a dui-ridden judge, I don't Just because Joe Wilson has been forthright in owning up to his past does not dismiss the fact that he used poor judgment in the past. The guy's an attorney right? He knew the consequences of what he was doing when he drove drunk. Good judgment would have been to get a ride home when he was too drunk to drive and that judgment would have been good 10 years ago or 10 minutes ago. Good judgment, which we expect and deserve in a judge, should extend the length of his career not interrupted when he gets caught. Course all these guys who've gotten dui's are sorry--they're sorry they got caught. What about the rest of us who may have been on the road at the same time? I hope other voters such as myself believe that we need a judge who has the good judgment to apply the law fairly and make unbiased decisions. I think Joe Wilson is too biased AWAY from the law especially when he says that his conviction record makes him more understanding in criminal matters. Bob Knight | Oct 11, 2009 11:10 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Oh Come On! Rico defends big insurance from having to pay out money to people who have been wrong. How does that equate to knowledge of constitutional law like Scott Peterson? How many apeals cases has Rico and Joe won collectively? Scott Peterson has 9 of 10. How many judges ruleings has Joe and Rico had overturned? Peterson has had one. Scott Peterson has had 8 commisioners ruleings overturned. If anyone else comes even comes close please raise your hand. When it comes to defending the common man in court for free Scott Peterson has logged countless hours. If you're being evicted from your home Scott Peterson will never ask you for a dime. Can Joe and Rico say the same? Just because Scott has not had the chance to put on a robe, doesnt mean his knowledge of the law is to be discounted. I believe if anything he hasnt had to cow tow down to anyone. Scott Peterson hasnt asked a single soul for an indoresement, the reason being is he believes the people are the best endoresement. To me, a person who doesnt know alot about endorsements, haveing alot of them means little to me. Then again I am not a big fan of a popularity contest. Mike Flavin | Oct 11, 2009 12:12 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal

1. 5 die of swine flu in Snohomish County 2. Driver charged in deaths of 4 3. Red Cross honors acts of heroism, many by ordinary people 4. Barista clothing rules delayed by County Council 5. Haugen's husband accused of sexual assault in civil suit 6. Ruskell steps down as Seahawks GM 7. Three people hurt in Everett house fire 8. Steelhead anglers finding mixed results 9. Airbus wins order for 52 single-aisle jets 10. Silvertips hammered 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Wildcats fall to familar foe in semis • ‘Nutcracker' times three • Road warrior • Mavericks reloading • Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings • Cities prepare for winter blast repeat • Wolfpack duo takes last shot at state tourney • This Weekend in Your Town • Tips for the stormy season • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million