1. Name as it will appear on the ballot
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First Name |
Middle Initial or Nick Name |
Last Name |
2. Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):
3. Are you the incumbent? Yes No
4. How long have you resided in this district/city?
5. How long have you resided in
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22+ years |
6. Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan? Partisan Nonpartisan
CAMPAIGN CONTACTS
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Campaign Name: |
Andrea Darvas for Superior Court Judge |
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Campaign E-mail: |
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Campaign Website: |
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1. Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held. Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.
Public Office |
Elective or Appointive? |
Dates Held |
Leadership Role (if any) |
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2. If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:
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In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge. These are defined as follows:
§ Knowledge: Has the candidate demonstrated the willingness and ability to learn and adapt? Does the candidate understand the duties and challenges of the office sought? Does the candidate have a firm grasp of the issues important to his or her constituency and their potential effects?
1. In a page or less, why are you running for this office? (Note: the interview committee will be given a copy of this statement before your interview; at the beginning of your interview you will have the opportunity to expand on this statement in any way you wish.)
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We need judges who are passionate about upholding the individual liberties, rights to due process, and justice for all promised by our State and Federal Constitutions. We have a shortage of judges who have experience representing people from the broad spectrum of our community: families, small business owners, parents, children, seniors, law enforcement, working people, and crime victims. I have more than two decades of experience "in the trenches," representing people from all parts of the community, helping them to get justice in our courts. I want to serve the people of King County as a judge who insures that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, that the rights granted by the Consitution are provided to everyone, and that the laws passed by Congress and our state Legislature are applied fairly and impartially. My experiences as a parent, a small business owner, and a lawyer fighting for the rights of people in our community, together with my judicial experience as a Hearing Officer and as an Arbitrator, will enable me to approach a judicial career with the knowledge and insight necessary for this important position.
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2. Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.
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I am passionate about liberty, justice, and equality of opportunity. I am a first-generation American, born in Hungary in 1956, when it was a Communist dictatorship. My parents are Holocaust survivors, who were determined not to have their own children grow up in a police state. They gave up everything they had and risked their lives so that I could grow up in America, where freedom, justice, equality and the rule of law were more than empty promises. My parents taught me to love freedom, to honor our Constitution, and to detest all forms of bigotry. In my 22 years of law practice in King County, I have represented hundreds of families, working people, small business owners, seniors, and victims of crimes, and I have helped them to achieve justice in our courts. This has given me insight into the needs and views of our diverse community, and has taught me to listen carefully and respectfully to many different points of view. I insist that those around me treat others with dignity and respect. I have worked hard to adhere to the highest level of integrity and professional ethics, and I received a prestigious award for professionalism. My husband and I have raised two children, who are now in college. I understand the challenges and rewards of parenting in today's society, the special challenges facing working parents, and the many problems facing our schools. I love to unravel complex legal issues, and I am used to working very hard. My experiences as a parent, a small business owner, and a lifelong advocate for justice will enable me to approach my judicial career with the knowledge and insight necessary for this important position of trust.
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3. Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud. These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking. These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life.
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1. When the President of the Washington State Bar Association was accused of having sexual relations with several of his divorce clients, the Bar needed independent counsel to investigate and pursue disciplinary charges against him. I spent four years working pro bono on behalf of the Washington State Bar Association, and was successful in obtaining a decision from the Washington Supreme Court that sexual exploitation of clients by their attorneys is unethical and will result in suspension of the license to practice law. The case was In re Lowell Halverson, and was decided in 2002.
2. Since 1998, I have been given an “AV” rating by the Martindale-Hubbell law directory. This rating, which is given to less than 10% of lawyers nationwide, is the highest rating available for professional ability and ethics. It is based upon surveys of lawyers, so it reflects a very high level of respect from my peers. I also was voted a “Super Lawyer” by my peers for each of the past three years. I am proud of these ratings because they demonstrate that other lawyers in the community recognize my hard work and my strict adherence to the highest professional and ethical standards.
3. My husband and I have successfully operated our own law firm since 1991, and we have raised two independent-minded children who have the values and motivation to become involved citizens and productive members of our community. |
4. Please list or describe your current and past activities in the community in which you have acquired skills that relate to the office you seek. Include your role in the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved. Involvement consists of many areas such as family, neighborhood, community, employment, or public life.
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Over the past 22 years, I have served on approximately 20 committees and task forces devoted to improving the Court system, maximizing access to justice, and serving the public. For example, early in my career, I served on the State Bar's first Disaster Response Task Force. A list of the committees I have served on is contained in my resume, a copy of which is attached. I have taught at over 50 different Continuing Legal Education seminars on subjects including Legal Ethics, Trial Practice, Insurance law, Tort law, and related topics. For the past four years, I have been a volunteer judge in the "We the People" and "Project Citizen" programs, which provide students at the high school and middle school levels with training and education on the U.S. Constitution, civics, and government. I have participated as a judge at their regional and state-wide competitions, where schools send their teams to compete for the State title and the chance to go on to the national competition. We judge the students' presentations on the Constitution ("We the People") and on community issues ("Project Citizen"). Throughout my career I have done pro bono legal work, including cases sent to me by Volunteer Legal Services. I spent four years providing pro bono legal service as a Special Independent Disciplinary Counsel in the Lowell Halverson case (please see previous question). I served on a citizen's screening committee for the City of Normandy Park approximately fourteen years ago when the City was searching for a new chief of police. I also provided pro bono legal services to day care and preschool providers in Normandy Park approximately fifteen years ago, when controversy arose over the legality of such "home based businesses" in the City of Normandy Park.
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Superior Court Judges preside over criminal felony cases, juvenile court cases, family law (divorce) cases, child dependency cases, probate cases, and civil cases. “Civil cases” are lawsuits. They encompass a wide variety of topics, including business disputes, consumer claims, disputes over property, personal injury claims, employment disputes, civil rights claims, etc. Superior Court judges also hear appeals from the lower courts of limited jurisdiction, and from certain government agencies. A Superior Court Judge's most important duties include: -- Making rulings on legal motions, such as what evidence may or may not be used at trial. -- Presiding over trials to insure a fair and lawful outcome, seeing to it that the parties and the lawyers obey the rules of evidence and procedure. -- See to it that cases are decided in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Washington, and all applicable Federal, State and local statutes, ordinances and administrative rules. -- Instructing juries on the law in those cases being tried to a jury. -- Imposing sentences on criminal defendants who have pleaded guilty or who have been convicted at trial. -- Hearing evidence and making decisions in non-jury cases.
All of these duties are tremendously important, but the paramount duties are to uphold the Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Washington, to administer the laws fairly and impartially, and to insure that everyone who comes before the court is treated with dignity and respect. |
EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY
The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report is distributed to voters in print and/or on our website. It includes a summary of the candidate’s education. Please summarize your education in 120 characters (letters, punctuation, and space all combined). The League will delete material that exceeds the space limit by beginning with the last entry. Suggested order is (degree) (subject) (school) (year, if desired).
Note: If this question is left blank the League will not include education information in your candidate profile.
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J.D. with honors, University of Michigan Law School (1981) B.S. Zoology, University of Michigan (1979) |
FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT
The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report also includes a summary of each candidate’s civic involvement. Please summarize your civic involvement in the space below. We will make every attempt to include the information in the Candidate Evaluation Report as submitted. Due to space restrictions in the Report, your response is limited to 500 characters (letters, punctuation, and spaces all combined). It is important that you list your involvement beginning with the most important and ending with the least important. If you exceed the length of response permitted, or if the League should find it necessary to shorten responses for publication purposes, deletions will be made beginning with the last item listed.
Note: This information will appear verbatim on the League’s Candidate Evaluation Report. If this question is left blank, the Municipal League will not include information on your civic involvement in the Report.
Check here if you would like the Municipal League to copy the first 500 characters from Question 4 to paste into this section.
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I’ve prosecuted unethical lawyers. I’ve served as a Hearing Officer in ethics cases and as an arbitrator. I’ve volunteered in public school programs to teach students about the Constitution, civics, and government. I’ve represented numerous clients pro bono. I’ve served on 20+ committees to improve courts, maximize access to justice, and serve the public. I’ve taught other lawyers at 50+ seminars on legal ethics, trial practice, and courtroom procedure. I’ve mentored many law students. |
Supplemental Judicial Candidate Questionnaire
1. Briefly describe the nature of your current practice/position including types of clients and areas, if any, of specialization. State what percentage involves civil litigation, criminal litigation, and/or nonlitigation.
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I have represented a broad range of clients from all parts of our community on consumer issues, including injury and disability claims, insurance coverage, legal ethics, real estate matters, and business disputes. The great majority of my practice has been in civil litigation and trials.
Approx. 90% civil litigation, 2% criminal cases; 5% legal ethics litigation; 3% quasi-judicial (serving as Hearing Officer or Arbitrator). |
2. Identify all your experience as a neutral decision maker (e.g. judge, permanent or pro tem, in any jurisdiction, administrative law judge, hearing officer, arbitrator, etc.)
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I have served as a Hearing Officer in attorney disciplinary matters numerous times over the past three years. I have been appointed by the court as an Arbitrator in dozens of civil cases over the past 17 years, and I also have been chosen to serve as an Arbitrator in several underinsured motorist cases over the past decade. |
3. If you have been a judge, identify any court committees on which you have served or administrative positions you have held, including dates.
4. List the approximate percentage of your time over the last five years you have made appearances in:
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1 |
% municipal court |
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1 |
% state district court |
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86 |
% superior court |
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% federal district court |
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5 |
% appellate court |
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5 |
% administrative tribunals |
5. Are you now an officer or director of any business enterprise other than your law practice? If so, what role do you expect to play if elected?
6. Have you ever been disciplined or determined to be in breach of professional conduct by any court, administrative agency, bar association, disciplinary committee, judicial conduct commission, or other professional group? Have you ever had a formal complaint filed against you with the WSBA? If so for either or both questions, give the particulars, including the outcome.
Finished!
If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (rebecca@munileague.org). Mail and fax numbers are listed below. If the League has not contacted you to schedule an interview, please call the League office at your earliest convenience.
Don’t forget to send the following to the Municipal League: a resume, a photo, campaign literature, and, if you are an incumbent, constituent newsletters and other materials. Please use the check-off list on the cover sheet of this packet to indicate which items you have sent.
Candidate Evaluation Coordinator: Rebecca Cooper