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Elections

District Court I Judicial election candidates: Alex Schodowski and Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy and Alexandrea Schodowski are running for the position of judge in the Clallam County District Court I, located in Port Angeles, WA. The election is this fall, 2026. This article takes a look at both candidates.

The current judge is Dave Neupert who is retiring at the end of his current term.

Quick facts

Alex SchodowskiPatrick Murphy
– Licensed to practice in Washington: 2011
– Education: Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School, JD
– Years in Clallam-Jefferson County: 15
– Legal experience: deputy criminal prosecutor (5 yrs); criminal defense attorney, private general practice (10 yrs)
– Prior judicial experience: 10 years as part time (substitute) judge
– Current position: partner, Schodowski Law Inc. PS, Port Townsend		– Licensed to practice in Washington: 2015
– Education: University of Washington, BA Political Science, Seattle University School of Law, JD
– Years in Clallam County: 7
– Legal experience: Deputy prosecutor, District Court, Clallam County, 7 years, private practice in tax and family law (4 yrs)
– Prior judicial experience: none
– Current position: Deputy prosecutor, Clallam County

Candidate statements

Alex SchodowskiPatrick Murphy
I am seeking election as Clallam County District Court Judge to continue serving the community with fairness, professionalism, and integrity. Through years of experience both practicing before the courts and serving on the bench as a District Court Judge Pro Tem and Superior Court Commissioner, I have developed the practical experience and judicial temperament necessary for the role.

I believe courts function best when judges are prepared, impartial, respectful, and grounded in the realities of the communities they serve. I am committed to applying the law thoughtfully, protecting constitutional rights, and ensuring every person who enters the courtroom is heard and treated fairly.

I believe I have the experience, temperament, and work ethic necessary to serve this community fairly and effectively from day one.		Our quality of life is at risk in both Port Angeles and Sequim, with shuttered businesses, increasing drug use and a rise in quality of life crimes.

Clallam County District Court 1 needs a new, more effective direction.

All residents need to feel secure in their homes and in public places. District Court provides the means to make sure all of us can live our daily lives in peace. Balancing firm accountability with restorative justice practices will improve the safety and well-being of Clallam County residents. As judge, I will give fair consideration to both sides. I will also ensure that firm and appropriate safeguards are in place at every stage of the judicial process. As your District 1 Judge, I will ensure these values are supported.

Living in Sequim and working in Port Angeles gives me a more holistic perspective on the pulse of the greater community. I know the challenges that Clallam County faces first hand. These challenges require a district judge who both lives and works in the community and has a stake in the quality of life of all its residents. I will continue to renew that commitment daily.

I respectfully ask for your vote

Endorsements

Alex SchodowskiPatrick Murphy
Clallam County District Court I Judge David Neupert: “As a Pro Tem Judge, Alex Schodowski has earned my trust to step into my courtroom and handle matters with fairness, preparation, and integrity. That is not a responsibility I take lightly. I am confident the people of Clallam County can trust her to serve as their next District Court Judge.”

For more endorsements, see https://alexschodowski.com/#endorsements		Stephen Robley, Sergeant, Washington State Patrol (Ret.)

Campaign material information

“Alex is running for District Court Judge because she believes experience, fairness, reparedness, and steady leadership are essential to maintaining public trust in the courts. She is committed to treating every person who enters the courtroom with dignity and respect while applying the law fairly and impartially.”

Alex has handled thousands of cases as a judge pro tem in Clallam County District and Superior Court. (A pro tem judge is a substitute judge, filling in when an elected judge is not available or has a conflict of interest.)		Prior experience: Certified Tax Preparer with the IRS

Community service: Instructor, Sexual Assault Investigation Protocols; Member, General Advisory Committee on Competency Restoration and Mental Health Services.

Information from candidate websites

https://alexschodowski.com

Alex has Represented clients in criminal defense, DUI defense, and personal injury law. She has been in private practice with her husband for the last 10 years.		https://www.votemurphyjudge.com

“The District Court is often the first, and sometimes the only, interaction residents have with our judicial system. I am running to ensure that consequences are balanced with compassion; punishment with forgiveness; and accountability with rehabilitation.”

Editor’s note: ClallamCountyBar.com does not endorse judicial candidates. We seek to provide neutral and balanced information for you to make your own decision. ClallamCountyBar.com is not associated with the Clallam County Bar Association.

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

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.

Stanley and Parker take the bench January 13 2025

Elizabeth Stanley, Clallam County Superior Court judge

Elizabeth Stanley will assume her role as the third Clallam County Superior Court judge on January 13, 2025. She is currently the Clallam County Family Court Commissioner (Superior Court). She ran in an uncontested election in November 2024 and won her seat as a judge by default. She replaces Judge Lauren Erickson who retired at the end of her term.

Brain Parker, an attorney from Snohomish County, will assume the Family Court Commissioner position also on January 13, 2025. Mr. Parker previously served as a pro tem (part time) Family Court Commissioner for Snohomish County.

Brian Parker, the 5th Clallam County Superior Court Family Court Commissioner

Mr. Parker will be Clallam County’s 5th Family Court Commissioner. Commissioner Stanley served in the position for almost two years. Prior to that Brandon Mack served for three years, Brent Basden served for about 10 years, and William Knebes served for 20 years. Commissioner Knebes created the the Clallam County Family Court in about 1990, and was named Jurist of the Year in 2007 by the Washington State Bar Association.

In other judicial news, Brent Basden will continue to fill his role as Superior Court Chief Judge through January 2026, when Superior Court Judge Simon Barnhart takes over that role for a 2-year term.

Clallam County has three Superior Court judges and one Family Court Commissioner. We also have two District Court Judges, one in Port Angeles and one in Forks.

Lauren Erickson appointed to Superior Court

Lauren Erickson has been appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to the Clallam County Superior Court. She fills the vacancy created by Judge Erik Rohrer who will resign his position on January 14, 2019 as he changes to serve as judge for Clallam County District Court II.

Ms. Erickson will be the first female Superior Court judge in Clallam County. The only other female judge in Clallam County was Susan Owens who served as judge for Clallam County District Court II. Susan Owens went on to become a Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court.

Ms. Erickson was admitted to practice law in Washington in 1990. She has a wide range of experience. For the last 10 years, Ms. Erickson has operated a solo practice in Port Angeles representing parents in dependency matters, and served as an administrative law judge pro tem in the Office of Administrative Hearings. She also works as a Hearing Examiner for both the cities of Port Angeles and Bellevue and as a presiding officer for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.

Before that, Ms. Erickson served as a Clallam County District Court Commissioner and Judge Pro Tem as well as a deputy prosecuting attorney in both Clallam and Kitsap County.

“Lauren has a wealth of experience in both civil and criminal law, and in addition to serving as an advocate, she has built a strong track record as a neutral decision maker. Her vast experience will be an asset to the court and people of Clallam County.” Gov. Jay Inslee, https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-appoints-lauren-erickson-clallam-county-superior-court

Erickson earned her law degree from Seattle University and bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington. She served on the Port Angeles City Council from 2000 to 2006.

David H. Neupert Swearing in ceremony Jan 11, 2019

David H. Neupert will be sworn in as Clallam County District Court judge at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 11, 2019, at the historic courtroom in the old court house, 223 E. 4th Street (entry from new court house building or from Lincoln Street entrance). Mr. Neupert won the Novebmer 2018 election for the District Court I position.

Mr. Neupert was admitted to the Washington State Bar Association in 1987. He served as the director of the Clallam-Jefferson Public Defender, was a member of the Platt Irwin Law Firm, and most recently has been representing the Peninsula Housing Authority.

Brent Basden swearing in ceremony Jan 2, 2019

W. Brent Basden will be sworn in as Clallam County Superior Court Judge at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 2, 2019 in courtroom one. A reception will follow. Mr. Basden will replace Erik Rohrer who will be moving to the Clallam County District Court II, in Forks.

W. Brent Basden
Clallam County Superior Court Judge appointee W. Brent Basden

Mr. Basden grew up in Port Angeles and graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1984.  After graduating from law school in 1994, he practiced law in Clallam County.  Since 2008 he has served as the full time Family Court Commissioner in Superior Court. He was admitted to the Washington State Bar Association in 1994.

Applicants for vacated Superior Court judge position 2018-2019

Eleven lawyers have applied to fill the Clallam County Superior Court position being vacated by Judge Erik Rohrer. The applicants are:

  1. Lauren Erickson, attorney in private practice
  2. Carol Mortensen, attorney in private practice
  3. Steve Robbins, attorney with Northwest Justice Project in the Port Angeles office
  4. Cathy Marshal, Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Port Angeles office
  5. Harry Gasnick, Director of Clallam Public Defender
  6. John Hayden, attorney practicing part in a private practice and part time with the Clallam Public Defender
  7. Suzanne Hayden, attorney with the Clallam Public Defender
  8. Michele Devlin, Clallam County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
  9. April King, Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
  10. Steve Johnson, Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
  11. Lisa Dublin, administrative law judge, Tacoma office

Governor Jay Inslee will appoint one of these applicants to fill the remainder of Judge Rohrer’s 2-year position. The position, along with Judge Coughenour’s position will be open for election in 2020. Judge Rohrer will vacate his position as Superior Court judge on January 14, 2019, and Governor Inslee hopes to fill the position by that date.

See also http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/eleven-seek-clallam-county-superior-court-appointment/

Brandon Mack appointed as Family Court Commissioner

Brandon Mack has been appointed Family Court Commissioner for the Clallam County Superior Court. Mr. Mack has served as an assistant Attorney General with the Port Angeles office of the Attorney General since 2010. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Vermont in 1998 and graduated magna cum laude from Seattle University School of Law in 2009.

The Clallam County Family Court Commissioner presides over family law matters, including domestic, family and juvenile court cases. Clallam County Superior Court’s innovative unified Family Court began in 1991 and is the first of its kind in Washington. The Unified Family Court approach has become established statewide as the model for many other family courts.

ClallamCountyBar.com welcomes Mr. Mack to the bench. The two prior Family Court Commissioner’s, W. Brent Basden and William G. Knebes, served for a combined period of about 30 years. Clallam County was blessed to have these two commissioners who demonstrated the highest levels of judicial temperance, a focus on the rule of law tempered by the equities of human needs, sensitivity to the needs of rural families, a focus on the application of human development and relational science to the practice of family law, and high self-reflective capacity.

Mr. Mack will take the bench mid January, 2019. Judge Basden and Commissioner (and former judge) Ken Williams are expected to cover the family court calendar until Mr. Mack takes over his duties.

Clallam County 2018 judicial election results

The final tallies for the 2018 Judicial elections are completed.

Erik Rohrer won the election for the part time position in the “Forks Court”, Clallam County District Court #2. He defeated attorney John Black 50.49% to 49.51%. Judge Rohrer, received 1,431 votes and John Black received 1,403, a 28 vote margin. Judge Rohrer is currently a sitting judge in the Clallam County Superior Court and will presumably step down from that position on January 14, 2019, and assume the position in Forks. (Note, a recount was requested by John Black. The recount was conducted by hand. On December 7, 2018, the Clallam County Auditor certified the vote totals were unchanged after the recount and Erik Rohrer was confirmed the winner of the election.)

Dave Neupert defeated Suzanne Hayden in the race for Clallam County District Court #1 in Port Angeles. The vote was 16,524 to 15,804, or 51.11% to 48.89%.

In races for positions on the Washington State Supreme Court, Susan Owens was unopposed and re-elected to the #2 position she has held. Ms. Owens was formerly a judge in the Forks Court. Sheryl McCloud was elected without opposition to position #9. Incumbent Steven Gonzalez defeated challenger Nathan Choi, 20,339 to 10,771, or 65.44% to 34.56%.

Judge Christopher Melly will be retiring on December 31, 2018, and Family Court Commissioner Brent Basden has been appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to fill his position. Commissioner Basden will become Judge Basden on January 1, 2018.

The Commissioner position is filled by appointment from the Clallam County Superior Court judges, and applications are currently being taken.

After the first vote counting, Judge Rohrer tendered his resignation from his Superior Court position effective January 14, 2019. Governor Inslee will be appointing someone to fill Judge Rohrer’s position.

This is a time of big change for the Clallam County court system, as new judges will fill 5 of the 6 positions (as identified above).

District Court II election to be certified Friday, December 7, 2018

District Court II election results will be certified at 8:15 on Friday, December 7, 2018, according to the Auditor’s office. The recount process includes a number of methods to ensure accuracy of the vote. All ballots from the geographic voting area are first pulled by election officials who aren’t told how many they should be finding, and the total number is checked against the computer record for accuracy. Then the ballots are organized by precinct, and then two officials independently count all the ballots from the precinct. Their totals are privately written down and then the two totals are compared for accuracy.