Hon. James M. Murphy Receives WSBA Outstanding Judge Award

Seattle, Washington, September 12, 2002 — Spokane County Superior Court Judge James M. Murphy will be recognized as a recipient of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Outstanding Judge Award today in Seattle. The award is presented annually for outstanding service to the bench and for special contribution to the legal profession.

Judge Murphy has served Spokane for 24 consecutive years. He was instrumental in establishing a drug court in 1995, and served as drug-court judge for five years. Through the National Drug Court Institute, he has taken a national leadership role in the drug-court movement, serving as faculty in judicial training programs and facilitating drug-court development teams. His court was highlighted in a series of training films used as a model example of how to preside over such programs.

Judge Murphy is also active in track and field as a certified competition official. He has officiated in NCAA meets, the Goodwill Games, U.S. Olympic Trials, and the Olympic Games. He serves on the IAFF Drug Arbitration Board, and is a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Track and Field Federation.

In his nomination letter, Spokane County Superior Court Judge Neal Rielly wrote: “Judges like Jim Murphy bring credit to and build confidence in our judicial system. Judges like Jim Murphy make a difference from a systematic standpoint, but also on an individual level.”

The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington State Supreme Court to license the state’s 26,600 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.