AJC Home > Retention Election Information > Pamela S. Washington
VOTE YES
Pamela S. Washington
Anchorage District Court | Third Judicial District
Judge Washington was appointed to the Anchorage District Court in August of 2010. This is her fourth retention election.
Performance Summary
After conducting its performance review, the Judicial Council determined that Judge Washington met or exceeded performance standards on all criteria, including professional competence and legal ability, integrity, impartiality and fairness, temperament, diligence, and administrative skills.
The Council also determined that Judge Washington met or exceeded educational requirements set by the Alaska Supreme Court, complied with judicial ethics requirements, and made exceptional contributions to the community and to the administration of justice.
Because Judge Washington met or exceeded all performance and educational standards, the Alaska Judicial Council recommends a “yes” vote on retention in office.
Performance Findings
The Council conducts a thorough performance review of each judge standing for retention. Key findings for Judge Washington include:
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Ratings by justice system professionals: Attorneys who appeared before Judge Washington gave her excellent reviews
(4.2 overall), as did court employees (4.5 overall), and peace and probation officers (3.8 overall). The chart provided summarizes Judge Washington's survey ratings.Juror Survey:
Jurors who served in Judge Washington’s courtroom were surveyed about her performance, and they gave her excellent ratings. The chart provided summarizes Judge Washington's juror survey ratings.- Detailed survey ratings can be viewed here.
Professional and community activities: Judge Washington made exceptional contributions to the administration of justice and the community.
- Judge Washington served as the Deputy Presiding Judge for her court, an administrative role with responsibility for the efficient functioning of the court.
- She served as Presiding Judge of the Anchorage CRP Court, a therapeutic court that hears cases involving mentally ill defendants and uses specialized procedures to direct the defendants to appropriate community treatment and services to prevent further contacts with the criminal justice system.
- Judge Washington served as co-chair of the Fairness, Diversity, and Equality Committee, a group established by the Alaska Supreme Court to increase fairness and access to the courts for all Alaskans.
- She served as the Anchorage chair and organizer of the Alaska Court System’s Color of Justice event, a law-related education program designed to promote diversity in the legal profession and judiciary by encouraging diverse youth to consider careers as lawyers and judges. She also served on the planning team for the Sitka Color of Justice event.
- Judge Washington served terms as a Vice President of Districts and Vice President of Publication for the National Association of Women Judges.
- She served on the American Bar Association’s Judicial Editorial Board that manages and oversees book publications overing topics important to the judiciary, courts, and Bar members.
- Judge Washington participated in Success Inside and Out, a program that helps incarcerated women re-enter the community.
- She volunteered at the Alaska Bar Association’s Martin Luther King Law Day Pro Bono Legal Clinic.
- Judge Washington served as judge, panelist, and volunteer for elementary and high schools’ We the People programs, Law Day activities, and mock trials competitions.
- She served as member of the US Chapter of the Committee of Pan American Judges on Social Justice.
- Judge Washington served as member of the National Center for State Courts Blueprint for Racial Justice Work Group.
- More information about Judge Washington's professional, educational, and outreach activites can be found here.
Other performance indicators: A review of Judge Washington’s financial and conflict of interest statements showed she complied with all disclosure requirements.
Timeliness: Alaska law requires judges’ pay be withheld when a decision has been pending longer than six months. The Council verified that Judge Washington was paid on schedule, and she certified that she had no untimely decisions.
Ethics: There were no public disciplinary proceedings against Judge Washington, and the Council’s review found no ethical concerns.
