Bar News

Lorraine Rimson appointed Family Court Commissioner

May 20, 2026

Lorraine Rimson has been appointed to serve as the Clallam County Superior Court Family Court Commissioner. She takes the bench on June 1, 2026. She will handle all family law pre-trial matters, protection order requests, and other matters. The Commissioner position has been vacant since the prior Commissioner was discharged in February, 2026.

Commissioner Rimson has been working in Port Townsend. She ran her own law firm and handled family law matters. Since March, 2023, she has served as the Jefferson County Superior Court Commissioner and as a Commissioner Pro Tem (substitute) for the Clallam County Superior Court since January, 2023. She has also served as Commissioner for Clallam County District Court II and Jefferson County District Court, and as Jefferson County District Court Judge Pro Tem. Overall, Commissioner Rimson brings 30 years of experience to the bench.

Prior Clallam County Family Court Commissioners were William G. Knebes (who established the Family Court 37 years ago and served for 20 years), Brent Basden, Brandon Mack, Elizabeth Stanley, and Brian Parker.

ClallamCountyBar.com warmly welcomes Commissioner Rimson and wishes her a long tenure.

WA Supreme Court to hold court in Port Angeles

May 20, 2026

The Washington State Supreme Court will be holding court and hearing two cases in Port Angeles on May 28, 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m. The Supreme Court is based in Olympia, WA, and normally hears cases there. However the Court has a Traveling Court program and they hear cases in cities across the state.

Cases in the Supreme Court have been appealed from a trial court ruling. Lawyers for both sides file numerous documents in the appeals process, including appeal briefs, and then the lawyers are allowed to present “oral argument,” which is their chance to argue their client’s case to Court. Oral argument is what will happen a Peninsula College in Port Angeles for the two cases below.

The public is encouraged to attend these sessions as observers. After the Court session is completed, the nine Supreme Court Justices will take questions from you, members of the public, about anything you want to ask them.

Two Cases being heard

Traveling Court Program

The Traveling Court program presents a rare opportunity for members of the bench and bar, students, and the broader community to observe the work of the state’s highest court firsthand. The Washington State Supreme Court will hear oral arguments at Peninsula College’s Port Angeles Campus in the “Little Theater” on Thursday, May 28^th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

Case 1 State v. Martinez-Loyola, No. 104658-8

Issue: After Martinez-Loyola was convicted, a juror made remarks that suggested racial or ethnic bias that may have affected the proceedings. The trial court held an evidentiary hearing and concluded the version was not affected by racial bias. This court will consider what is the proper standard of review of that decision and under that proper standard of review, did the trial court err?

Case 2 Baker v. Seattle Children’s Hospital, No. 104590-4

Issue: Washington’s Privacy Act generally prohibits someone from intercepting or recording private communications without all parties’ consent. Children’s Hospital used software to collect data on its website users’ actions. It both used and shared that data with others for marketing purposes. Did that use violate the Privacy Act?

These briefs are available on the court’s website at www.courts.wa.gov/briefs. Search under “Supreme Court” by the case number.

Free legal advice May 16 2026

May 7, 2026

Free one-on-one legal consultations with a lawyer are available on Saturday, May 16, 2026. These consultations are by Zoom video meetings.

The available meeting times are between 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Pre-registration is required

Pre-registration is required if you want to talk to a lawyer. To register, or for more information, contact Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers at 360-504-2422 or [email protected].

Free legal advice for tenant rights, April 25 2026

April 16, 2026

A live presentation on tenant rights and evictions, and free one-on-one legal consultations with a lawyer is happening on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Port Angeles Food Bank & Market. The address is 632 N. Oakridge Dr, Port Angeles (next to and behind Walmart).

The time is 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Free legal advice begins immediately after the presentation on a first come first served basis. This is open to the general public.

It’s best to pre-register if you want to talk to a lawyer. To register, or for more information, contact Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers at 360-504-2422 or [email protected].

E-filing system to change

March 16, 2026

The Clallam County Clerk’s Office is changing their document management and E-filing systems in April, 2026. During the transition, no E-filing will be possible from April 6 through April 10, 2026. Information from the Clerk’s Office is below.

Clallam County Clerk – Document Management System Transition

Transition to Enterprise Justice DMS

The Clallam County Clerk’s Office will transition from the current OnBase Document Management System (DMS) to the Enterprise Justice (EJ) Document Management System.

Go-Live Date: April 6, 2026
After this date, the Clerk’s Office will no longer add records to the OnBase DMS.
We are currently working to convert existing OnBase records to the Enterprise Justice DMS.

Access for Current OnBase Subscribers

If you currently hold an OnBase subscription:

You will continue to have access through the OnBase WebClient for the remainder of 2026 only.
You may register for an Odyssey Portal subscription at no additional cost for the remainder of 2026 only, fees will apply for 2027 forward.

Access for Non-Subscribers

For users who do not currently have an OnBase subscription:

You will have the option to subscribe to the Odyssey Portal for a fee to access records.
The Clerk’s Office is updating its fee schedule, and subscription costs will be finalized soon. The Clerk’s Office will send out additional information on Odyssey Portal subscriptions.
The Odyssey Portal will still be available for public use without a subscription, though some features may be limited.

New E-Filing System: e-FileWA

As part of this transition, the Clerk’s Office will implement a new e-filing system.

Platform: e-FileWA
Go-Live Date: April 13, 2026
Training resources are available on the e-FileWA webpage.

Temporary E-Filing Downtime

Because of the system transition:

No e-filing will be available for Clallam County Superior Court from
April 6, 2026 – April 10, 2026.

Please plan accordingly during this period.

Questions

If you have any questions about the transition, please contact the Clallam County Clerk’s Office.

Lauren Erickson, Superior Court Judge deceased 2026

February 17, 2026

Lauren Erickson passed away on February 17, 2026. She retired as a Clallam County Superior Court Judge in January, 2025.

Judge Erickson was the first female to serve as Clallam County Superior Court Judge. She was initially appointed to the bench by the State Governor Jay Inslee in 2019, and was elected in 2020.

Prior to serving as Judge, Erickson had a diverse background in law. She was a private attorney, a deputy prosecuting attorney, an administrative law judge and land use hearing examiner. She served on the Port Angeles City Council from 1999 to 2006.

Erickson was a graduate of Roosevelt High School in Seattle, and earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington. She earned her law degree from Seattle University School of Law in 1989.

Erickson was beloved by the legal community. She brought a level of compassion not found in all judges. She was practical, smart, and worked hard for our community.

Brian Parker terminated from position of Clallam County Family Court Commissioner – effective immediately

February 11, 2026

Brian Parker, Clallam County Superior Court Family Court Commissioner, was abruptly terminated from his position on February 10, 2026. The Superior Court announced his appointment to the position in September, 2024, and he took the bench on January 13, 2025.

The Clallam County Superior Court has not offered an explanation for the unusual and abrupt termination.

Previously, Parker worked as a lawyer and part time Court Commissioner in Snohomish County.

The Clallam County Superior Court judges will now begin the search for a new Commissioner. It will likely take 1-3 months before a new Commissioner can take the bench. Until then, the Superior Court Judges will take turns handling matters in the Family Court. Changes to the Family Court schedule are not expected.

In Clallam County Superior Court, there are three elected judges, and one Family Court Commissioner who is appointed by the judges. The judges are responsible to search for a suitable candidate and appoint them. They do so in a closed process without oversight, supervision or input from voters or any other government official.

Family Court Commissioner history

The Clallam County Family Court has existed for about 37 years. There have been 5 Commissioners, and soon there will be a sixth.

30 years and 2 Commissioners

During the first 30 years since the Family Court was created, it was fill by two Commissioners.

William Knebes, a Port Angeles lawyer, established the Family Court system in Clallam County and was the first Family Court Commissioner. He served for about 19 years and was awarded the honor of Jurist of the Year. He worked tirelessly and closely with community leaders to develop the Family Court into something that became a blessing for the county.

Port Angeles lawyer Brent Basden next filled the position. He was appointed to replace the retiring Commissioner Knebes in January 2008, and served for 11 years before being appointed as a Clallam County Superior Court Judge in 2019.

7 years and 4 Commissioners

Jefferson County lawyer Brandon Mack took over from Commissioner Basden on January 19, 2019. He served in the position for four years, and then moved back to Jefferson County after being appointed by the Governor to be the Jefferson County Superior Court Judge. He replaced Judge Keith Harper who retired.

Elizabeth Stanley took over the position on February 27, 2023. She left the position two years later, on January 13, 2025, after she won the election for the position of Clallam County Superior Court Judge. Ms. Stanley was originally from New York where she practiced corporate law, then worked for the Arizona Attorney General practicing dependency law before moving to Washington.

Brian Parker took the position on January 13, 2025 when Commissioner Stanley became a judge. Parker served for a total of 13 months.

A fourth Commissioner will take the bench likely before May 2026.

Courthouse Facilitator position vacant until March 1 2026

January 27, 2026

The Clallam County Courthouse Facilitator position is currently vacant. A new Facilitator will begin offering help with filling out court forms on March 1, 2026.

Temporary help

In the meantime, Port Angeles Pro Bono is offering limited Facilitator-type services. Click here for information and to apply for services

CLE Bonanza 2025

October 14, 2025

The annual Clallam County CLE is on Friday, November 7th, in Sequim. Lunch is included with registration.

This year’s event features another outstanding lineup of presenters, including:

Jeanne Marie Clavere, WSBA Ethics Hotline
Anna Brady, Attorney with Ziontz Chestnut
Judge Susan Fisch (Ret.)
Leah Snyder, Attorney with Ember Law
The Hon. Charles W. Johnson, Associate Chief Justice, Washington State Supreme Court

2025 Bonanza Schedule Flyer (1)Download

The CLE is hosted by the Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers.

To register, contact Shauna or Mary at [email protected], or 360-504-2422.

USX-1 Defiant: sea trials in Port Angeles Harbor

August 28, 2025

8/28/2025

The brand new and experimental naval ship USX-1 Defiant is conducting sea trials in Port Angeles Harbor and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Defiant is a drone ship, the first ever designed to never operate with any human crew on board.

It is 180 feet long and is exceptionally narrow, shaped overall like a canoe. It sits very low in the water, its deck appears to be no more than 10 feet above the water line. It’s tower tops out at 42 feet tall. It has a top speed of 20 knots (23 MPH).

Defiant and Melissa C in Port Angeles Harbor

It can serve in roles of surveillance, logistics, attack and defense, carrying a 132,000 lbs load. That’s the equivalent of 24 Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs, or about 264 adult black bears and a load of Olympic blueberries to feed them.

Defiant can stay on a continuous sea patrol for one year. It uses marine diesel fuel. Long sea voyages require fueling at sea (FAS), which is problematic when there are no humans on board to safely receive and insert fueling hoses. This problem was addressed with specially designed FAS systems which require no humans on board the Defiant. A successful FAS trial was completed in December 2024.

Its sturdy and can conduct its mission in sea state 5 weather and higher, which are rough and windy seas with waves up to 13 feet. It can survive in sea state 7 weather, which has high seas and waives up to 30 feet. (Sea state 6 waves can go up to 20 feet, sea state 8 up to 46 feet and considered very high seas, and sea state 9 waves are anything over 46 feet high and phenomenal seas.)

Defiant was christened and launched on August 11, 2025, at the Everett Ship Repair in Everett, Washington. Serco is the prime contractor responsible to build the Defiant. It was built at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Washington State.

According to a DARPA spokesperson, Defiant was named after the USS Defiant, a starship in the Star Trek series Deep Space Nine. USS Defiant was small but might warship.

Escorted by Melissa C

For the current sea trial, Defiant is being escorted by the workboat Melissa C. Here they are at rest on August 25, 2025, after a long day of work, preparing to dock for the night in Port Angeles.

In the morning, tethered together, Melissa C escorted Defiant out of dock.

A crewman on the Melissa C is seen on Defiant’s deck before the tether is withdrawn and Defiant is set free. The white structure on the left is part of the crane boom on Melissa C. Ediz Hook is in the immediate background, and the hills of Vancouver Island, BC, in the distant background.

Here, Defiant and Melissa C are engaged in sea trials in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The hills on Vancouver Island, BC, are in the background.

USX-1 Defiant and escort Melissa C in Strait of Juan de Fuca

If you want to follow Defiant and Melissa C, you can find them on MarineTraffic.com.

DARPA and experimental projects

The Defiant is not yet a Navy ship. As indicated by its call sign USX (rather than USN), it is an experimental craft. It’s truly experimental. At this point, it’s not known if it can carry out its mission. Defiant has just started the process of a one year true sea trial. It’s taking baby steps in Port Angeles Harbor.

The Defiant project was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military.

It’s part of the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program. One goal of NOMARS is to increase American naval capacity at a much reduced cost. In 2025, the US Congress established a $2.1 billion budget for development and building of drone ships.

DARPA has developed many projects for the military, such as Vertical Take Off and Landing used in Boeing Osprey planes and next generation night vision goggles. They have also developed many projects that led to advances for regular citizens. DARPA developed ARPANET which was the first version of the internet, and the Aspen Movie Map which was the first version of products like Google Street View.

Unique design features

The Defiant is a unique ship because it’s the first fully autonomous vessel designed to never accommodate humans on board. DARPA and the Navy have already experimented with hybrid ships which can be operated as a drone or with humans on board. Those ships required all the facilities humans need including passageways everything needed for living quarters. Human needs take up a lot of space on a ship.

There are no passageways, sleep, cooking or other facilities for humans on board the Defiant. This allows the ship have its narrow design, low hull, and Long length. Narrow design allow ships to travel through water faster and with less energy needs, and to allow it to have a minimal wake.

The Defiant sits low in the water with a very low profile. Presumably this helps it minimize its exposure to radar and increase its stealth abilities.

It also has a simplified hull structure and ship design, so that new ships can be inexpensively built and maintained at any Tier III shipyards, which build smaller and specialized ships. Defiant class ships can be built at a Navy or private Tier III shipyard. Thus, any shipyard facility which can build a yacht, tug or workboat can build and service Defiant class ships. The Nichols Brother’s Boat Builder’s Washington facility is an example of a private company building a relatively low cost ship for our military.

Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Port Angeles Harbor

The City of Port Angeles is in Washington State, in the top middle of the Olympic Peninsula. It is next to the northern boundary of Olympic National Park and sits on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Black Ball Transportation operates the M.V. Coho car ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Port Angeles is about 80 miles (by the ferry route) north and west of Seattle.

Here is Defiant and M.V. Coho, with Vancouver Island, BC, in the background.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca is primarily bordered by the southern end of Vancouver and the north end of the Olympic Peninsula. It’s about 96 miles long, about 12-25 miles wide, and is part of the Salish Sea, and was filled with glaciers up to a mile thick in the last Ice Age. The Salish Sea is all the inland water in the picture below. It extends up into British Columbia and down into Washington State.

Port Angeles Harbor is home to the Lower Elwha Tribe of the S’Klallam Coast Salish people. In 1791 Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza entered the harbor and named it Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (Port of Our Lady of the Angels). It’s considered the best deep water harbor in all of the Pacific coast Americas, including North, Middle and South America. It’s protected by a naturally formed sand spit called Ediz Hook.