Radio Report: Abell’s judicial reform bills would require Senate confirmation of state Supreme and Appeals court appointees

February 10, 2025

A series of bills filed Monday in Olympia would require state Senate confirmation of Washington Supreme Court and Court of Appeals gubernatorial appointees. John Sattgast reports.

SATTGAST: Representative Hunter Abell says more than half of judges serving on Washington’s State Supreme Court and nearly 80 percent of members on the Court of Appeals were initially appointed to their positions by the governor. That’s an appearance, he says, of political parties stacking the bench in their favor.

ABELL: “A lot of these judicial retirements are timed to allow the governor’s office to appoint somebody to then run as the incumbent. And often, there’s a preferred successor, and that’s a problem.”

SATTGAST: The Inchelium Republican’s judicial reform package would require a two-thirds Washington State Senate confirmation for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals gubernatorial appointees.

ABELL: “We want to get away from this perspective that judges are just politicians in robes. We want to ensure these positions are explicitly nonpartisan.”

SATTGAST: Abell’s reform bills have been sent to the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee for further consideration.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.