All candidates for Clark County Superior Court's newly created Department 12 were invited to submit statements for this guide. We hope it is a useful tool for getting to know the candidates before you participate in the CCBA Judicial Preference poll.
The CCBA will be holding a Candidates Forum on June 27, 2024 at Noon in the 6th floor hearing room of the Public Service Center. All candidates have been invited to participate.
A judicial preference poll will be distributed to all current CCBA attorney members and all sitting Judges and Commissioners on July 1, 2024. If you are not sure if you are a current CCBA member, please reach out to Lisa in the CCBA office before July 1.
Please be advised the CCBA does not endorse or support any particular candidate.
Juliet Laycoe
I am seeking your support for my appointment to the newly created 12th position in Clark County Superior Court. With nearly 26 years of practice in Clark County, my career includes roles as an associate, partner, and solo practitioner, as well as extensive experience as a Superior Court Pro Tem Court Commissioner and a Vancouver Public Schools Hearings Officer.
My primary practice areas estate planning, probate, guardianship/conservatorship, and family law have given me substantial trial experience. I broadened my skillset and practice to include mediation and collaborative law as another way to help people resolve disputes. I also completed the Superior Court’s Judicial Mentoring Program and sought additional training independently to increase my awareness and effectiveness in working with diverse populations.
Driven by a desire to assist those who may not be able to access mainstream support, legal or otherwise, I wrote and published two books on divorce. I also established a support group for women experiencing divorce, now with approximately 350 global members.
Since 2022, I have presided over 48 dockets as a Pro Tem Court Commissioner including Civil Protection Order, Involuntary Treatment Act, Unlawful Detainer, Family Treatment Court, Truancy, and several family law dockets. These dockets have been diverse and, at times, intense in the legal issues and emotions of parties, many who represent themselves.
I am a longstanding member of the CCBA's Family Law and Guardianship, Probate & Elder Law Sections. Previously I served on the Superior Court Bench Bar Committee and co-founded The George & Donald Simpson American Inn of Court Additionally, I have delivered numerous presentations on various legal topics locally and statewide.
For more than 20 years, I have volunteered with CCVLP, assisting clients in family law and, more recently, guardianship/conservatorship matters. My community involvement includes volunteering in Vancouver Public Schools and providing leadership in the Vancouver Rotary Foundation, Southwest Washington Independent Forward Thrust (SWIFT), and the Children’s Center I also am supporting Share of Vancouver through initiatives aimed at assisting people living in less fortunate circumstances.
I was honored with the CCBA’s Kenneth Weber Award for Service to the Community, the General George C. Marshall Public Leadership Award, and the Rotarian of the Year Award. Throughout my career, making positive contributions to both the community and the legal profession has been a priority for me.
I was raised in Clark County. This year I am celebrating 20 years of marriage to my husband, Tom Hagley We have two children, Ben (17) and Abby (12). I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, traveling, running, and cheering on my kids from the sidelines.
My experience, community dedication, intellect and temperament make me well-suited to serve as a Superior Court judge. I am committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession and maintaining a safe, respectful, and efficient courtroom environment for all. As a proud and grateful member of the Clark County legal community, I am energized by this opportunity to expand my involvement and impact. Thank you for your consideration!
Juliet@JulietLaycoe.com (360) 693-1630
Commissioner Christine Hayes
I am seeking appointment to the newly established Clark County Superior Judge, Department 12 position and I am hopeful to have your support. As a lifelong resident of Clark County, I care deeply about our local community and believe my broad judicial and legal experiences uniquely qualify me to serve as our next Superior Court Judge. In my current role as a Superior Court Commissioner, I preside over all three areas of law that Superior Court Judges preside over – family, civil, and criminal. As an attorney, I also practiced locally in all three distinct areas of the law. I practiced criminal and family law at Wheeler Boyd and later devoted my practice exclusively to family law at McKinley Irvin. Prior to my appointment to the bench, I was serving as the City of Battle Ground’s first in-house City Attorney and Prosecutor.
As a judicial officer, I pride myself on always being prepared, knowledgeable, and decisive. I strive to make the court experience as straightforward and accessible as possible I am dedicated to improving outcomes for families, minimizing trauma for litigants, and keeping our community safe. I helped create and co-chair the first recurring juvenile bench-bar meeting which brings together prosecution, defense, probation, detention, and other juvenile stakeholders to achieve better overall outcomes for our youth and families I’m the assistant-chair of a civil protection stakeholder group that brings together law enforcement, advocates, attorneys, and other interested parties to discuss best practices for implementing the
requirements of the law. I believe it is critical for judicial officers to work with all law and justice stakeholders to evaluate and improve court processes to ensure we are best serving our community
I am also committed to working collaboratively with my colleagues on the bench to improve access to justice and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am a member of the Superior Court Diversity Committee that developed Clark County’s first judicial mentorship program, where I served as a judicial mentor, led small group discussions, and taught a skills training CLE. I serve on the Superior Court Bench-Clerk Committee and the Superior Court Executive Leadership Team, representing the Superior Court Family Law Division in both. After the legislature adopted the new civil protection order statute, I developed localized forms and handouts for litigants to help them navigate this process. I’ve additionally developed handouts for self-represented family law litigants to help better explain how to finalize their matters. I do not shy away from the demanding workload of a judicial officer, efficiently managing my commitments inside and outside the courtroom.
As a judge, I will continue to use the knowledge and skills I have gained as a commissioner and as an attorney to impartially apply the law to the facts of each case, while maintaining an understanding of the deeply personal nature of the matters before the court. I would be honored to serve as our next Superior Court Judge and would welcome the opportunity to speak with you further about my experience and candidacy.
Christine.D.B.Hayes@gmail.com
Hon. James B. Smith
After much reflection, I have decided to apply for appointment to the newly created Department 12 position for Clark County Superior Court. I believe that my three years of full time judicial experience as an elected District Court Judge for Clark County, patient temperament, administrative expertise, and extensive trial and appellate practice as an attorney make me very well suited for appointment to this position. I began my career as a WSBA member twenty years ago as a law clerk for Chelan County Superior Court, and returning to Superior Court as a judge in the county where I’ve lived for nineteen years would complete the circle.
Since being appointed to the bench in July of 2021, I have presided over a full range of matters including criminal jury and bench trials and dockets, criminal motion hearings, civil motion dockets, civil ex parte, and small claims trials. I am also honored to serve every Monday as a Superior Court elected judge pro tem pursuant to AR 6 as the judge for Clark County’s Veterans Therapeutic Court, a joint felony/misdemeanor program. I hope to build on this strong foundation of judicial experience by hearing more complex cases in Superior Court. In my current position, I often see hundreds of people in court each week and seek to treat each of them with courtesy and respect I never prejudge any case or person before hearing from all the parties and carefully considering the facts and the law. In my current role, I strive to make all my decisions with empathy, humility, and fidelity to the law I would bring this same approach to Superior Court.
I have also continued to serve as a leader for my court and the broader legal community. I currently serve as the assistant presiding judge for District Court and work closely and collaboratively with other departments and stakeholders to improve court operations and access to justice. Also, for the past two years, I served as the president for the George and Donald Simpson chapter of the American Inns of Court. In that role, I sought to promote professionalism and civility in the legal community.
Additionally, I have continued to work to diversify and improve the bench and legal community in Clark County. I served as a presenter and mentor judge for the inaugural Judicial Mentorship Program for Clark County, present at local high schools for the Street Law program, and serve on local bar and bench DEI committees. I also belong to the Vancouver Sunrise Rotary club and enjoy the community service opportunities and fellowship this group provides.
In closing, I hope to continue serving Clark County as a judge for Superior Court. I would bring significant judicial experience and new innovative ideas to the court. I always seek out new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow as a person and a judge. I would work hard to excel in this new position Thank you for your time and any support you may be able to provide. Jamesbsmith@msn.com (228) 282-0309
Dan Lloyd
Having litigated complex cases for two decades, I submit the breadth of my experience and success in the courtroom has positioned me well to serve as Clark County’s next superior court judge. Below, I summarize why I deserve your support.
I graduated summa cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2003, ranking second out of 137 students. From there, I completed a one-year clerkship at the Washington Supreme Court for Justice Richard Sanders. There, I authored over 25 published opinions, more than any other clerk that term. Since then, I have focused my practice over the last 20 years primarily on civil litigation, handling complex issues of constitutional dimension in addition to tort, employment, and contract law, among others. I have successfully tried cases to verdict in both state and federal court and in both the criminal and civil realms. Further, I have authored briefs and/or argued in over 35 appellate cases of all stages, to include multiple divisions of the Washington Court of Appeals, Washington Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and United States Supreme Court
Additionally, I have served as both a civil arbitrator since 2008 and Commissioner Pro Tem since 2022 Serving part-time as a pro tem, I have presided over more than 70 dockets addressing unlawful detainer, family law (represented and unrepresented), contested protection orders, dependency, and juvenile offender My work earned
the distinction of being the only pro tem to be a panelist for the recently convened CCBA Judicial Mentorship Program. I have consistently treated litigants and counsel who have appeared before me with the utmost preparation, respect, and attention while faithfully applying the law as written.
My contributions extend beyond the courtroom. I have served as a Board Member of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys since 2015, serving as President from 2023 until earlier this year. I am a member of the George R. Simpson Inns of Court. I have served on the CCBA Bench-Bar Committee for 10 years and the CCBA DEI Committee since 2022. In that latter capacity, I participated in the inaugural Street Law Program, assisting high school classrooms teach students about the lessons from Korematsu and judicial procedure. I have also presented at more than 20 CLEs addressing a wide range of subjects, such as civil litigation, torts, appellate practice, civil rights, attorney-client privilege, employment law, and cybersecurity. Lastly, my community service includes coaching softball, soccer, and baseball.
A superior court judge must be able to understand, decipher, and apply a myriad of incredibly complex areas of the law As judge, I would apply the same level of dedication and analytical rigor to those issues that I have displayed my entire legal career in successfully representing my clients and resolving cases of litigants who appeared before me. In sum, I believe my knowledge and experience will enable me to be an exceptional, consistent, and prudent jurist that will ably serve the citizens of Clark County
Thank you for your support. daniel.lloyd.cc@gmail.com
Commissioner
Stefanie Ellis
During my last five years as a Superior Court Commissioner, I have experienced significant change on our bench, including an overhaul of technology and a complete change in court processes. I have responded to each of these changes with a solution-oriented mindset, a strong work ethic, and a focus on improving our court for the future. The changes I have made to my own dockets have ensured access to court appointed attorneys days prior to the litigants first hearing, rather than minutes before as was previously the case. I have also made focused changes around ensuring attorney time is utilized efficiently by setting specific docket times for matters and committing to coming to court prepared and ready to make decisions. I worked with court staff to create a new specialty court (Safe Babies Court) with limited funding and resources. While I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far, the opportunity to serve as Clark County’s twelfth judge would allow me to make an even bigger impact on our court and on our community
I am uniquely qualified for this position and have spent most of my career preparing myself for this opportunity When including my pro tem involvement, I have over nine years of experience on the bench. That experience alone is broad and encompasses both district and superior court subject matters as well as two therapeutic specialty courts. During my time practicing as an attorney, I similarly dedicated myself to developing broad experiences in the law. I prosecuted misdemeanors with the Vancouver City Attorneys’ Office, I worked in
the DV Unit, and was the lead attorney for Mental Health Court and Homeless Court. I moved to private practice in 2010, having no family law experience. I leaned on trusted mentors and a thorough study of the law to become proficient. I also learned how to work with clients who may not be in the best emotional, or most cognitive, state of mind; a skill that now serves me well as a judicial officer.
I credit my teaching experience for the ability to quickly pick up new areas of the law. An educator must become an expert in the subject matter and provide instruction that can be easily understood by people of all levels of education, background, language and experience. Judicial officers are often not subject matter experts in all areas of the law, but they are required to rotate through multiple areas, regardless of their proficiency. When I started as Court Commissioner, I had little experience with dependency cases, yet my rotation was 70% dependency related I adapted and learned and will continue to do so every time I rotate to an area unfamiliar to me. Moreover, a judicial officer must be able to explain their rulings and findings in a way that can be understood, and the skills and experiences I have gained from teaching helps me to do that effectively.
I look forward to the candidate forum on June 27th and hope to gain your support!
Ellis.Stefanie.J@gmail.com
Rachael Rogers
What do we want in our judges - both as lawyers and as community members?
As community members we want our judges to recognize that everyone who comes before them is a human being going through something difficult. A judge must treat them with respect and kindness, while also holding parties to deadlines, discovery requirements, and court orders. As a judge, I will respect all who appear before me in any action and remember most individuals are not at their best while undergoing a court action.
As lawyers we want judges to understand we have large caseloads and a lot of non-court work waiting for us back at the office and to help limit the amount of time we spend in court. We can decrease the amount of time litigants are in court while still ensuring cases are progressing through the justice system This is possible through alternative means our Bench can explore. In this respect, I, along with four other members of prosecution and defense, recently sent a recommendation to the Court for changes to criminal dockets I have more ideas that could further limit docket time for attorneys who are busy with large caseloads, and I want to help this change from within.
To make changes and improve our court system for all, I would work with our partner agencies to quickly resolve issues before they become problems Working together and hearing from all perspectives is the best way to come to a solution that can work long term.
My career has prepared me for a position on the bench. In law school, I worked for the Oregon Department of Justice, was a summer associate for a small business law firm, and then began my career as a prosecutor during my third year of law school as an intern at the Vancouver City Attorney’s Office. Immediately after passing the bar, I moved to the Domestic Violence Unit and prosecuted crimes involving family violence. I moved to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and have worked in nearly every unit. In that time, I took over 100 cases to trial, where I learned more about the court system than I could have otherwise I worked my way up to Senior Deputy, then Chief Criminal Deputy, and I have now been the Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for three years. In that time, I have grown immensely as a person and as a lawyer My work now involves overseeing large civil, criminal, and child support departments, working on the budget, policies, advising, working with partner agencies to problem-solve, and much more I am highly capable at learning new areas of law and applying what I learn to the courtroom. I will always come to court prepared, knowing the law of the case before me, and I will apply that law appropriately, without bias or prejudice.
In my career, I have learned how to be the kind of judge that both lawyers and the community would want on the Superior Court bench.
