Clallam County Court Commissioner William G. Knebes Receives "Local Hero" Award

Seattle, Washington, December 20, 2000 - Commissioner William G. Knebes received the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) "Local Hero" Award at the WSBA Board of Governors meeting in Port Ludlow earlier this month. He received the award for outstanding service to the bench, bar and residents of Clallam County. The "Local Hero" Award is an effort to acknowledge lawyers who quietly champion justice in their communities.

Commissioner Knebes has served Clallam County for nearly 20 years. He hears all juvenile criminal, juvenile dependency, domestic violence and family law matters. Over the course of his career, Commissioner Knebes developed and implemented a unified family court system, to ensure one judge handles all cases involving a particular family. He was founder of the Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center, a nonprofit agency providing low-cost mediation services for all Jefferson and Clallam County residents. He is a certified mediator and serves as the center's advisor.

When handling juvenile dependency cases, Commissioner Knebes identified the need for a corps of volunteers to serve as guardians at litem for abused and neglected children. He developed and implemented the Clallam County Court Appointed Special Advocate Guardian Ad Litem program (CASA/GAL), which now provides a special GAL for each dependent child.

Commissioner Knebes also established the Clallam County Domestic Violence Task Force. The task force works to coordinate a community response to domestic violence, ensuring victims are appropriately served and provided with necessary assistance. Additionally, Commissioner Knebes works with the Clallam County Pro Bono Lawyers' Courthouse Facilitator Program to assist those without an attorney.

The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state's 26,000 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, it administers the bar exam, provides record-keeping and licensing functions, and administers the lawyer discipline program. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member-service activities.