Edmonds court judge wins remainder of term

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, November 3, 2005

EDMONDS – Douglas Fair, interim judge of Edmonds Municipal Court, was the unanimous choice Tuesday by the City Council to fill a four-year term on the bench.

“I’ve been very pleased with the job Doug Fair has done,” Mayor Gary Haakenson said of the appointment.

The former judge pro tem, who also has served on the Edmonds School Board, declared the part-time position “a dream job” that allows him to remain the primary caregiver for his two children, ages 9 and 11. Fair’s wife, Ellen, is a Superior Court judge.

Douglas Fair, 46, was selected last summer to fill a vacancy left after the resignation of James White, who pleaded guilty to federal money-laundering charges related to his private law practice. The job requires approximately 24 hours a week. Compensation is about $60,000 a year.

At the end of Fair’s term, the position will revert to an elected job rather than appointed. The City Council earlier approved the switch.

Fair said he has made the court more efficient. He has adjusted the times arraignments and custody cases are heard so participants don’t have to wait as long. He also pushed for the recent addition of a court security officer. He’s also allowed more time for processing trial dates to allow for settlements to avoid calling in juries just to dismiss them for lack of work.

Fair laughed when asked if having two judges in the family presents challenges. He smiled and said his wife “still outrules me” when they differ during dinner-table exchanges.

Sue Waldburger is editor of the Edmonds Enterprise.