Court Unification Task Force
Created by Second Substitute House Bill 1909 in the 2026 legislative session, the Court Unification Task Force’s goal is to identify areas where a more unified or centralized approach to court operations may improve efficiency and uniformity in the delivery of court and judicial services, as well as consistency in outcomes and ease of access for those who use the court system. A core group of 38 voting members will lead this effort, chaired by Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens and Washington Rep. Jamila Taylor.
The Task Force will meet at least twice a year beginning in September 2026 and will complete its work by Dec. 31, 2029. Meetings will be livestreamed on TVW. The group’s final report to the legislature will include specific solutions for efficient resource use; recommendations to harmonize conflicting court policies, practices and procedures; and a long-term strategic plan for implementing proposed solutions.
Contact: CUTF@wsba.org
Meetings
The Sept. 30 Task Force meeting will be livestreamed here.
Task Force Roster
Co-Chair: Chief Justice Debra Stephens, Washington Supreme Court Co-Chair: Representative Jamila Taylor, Chair, House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, Washington State House of Representatives Rep. Brian Burnett, Washington State House of Representatives Sen. Manka Dhingra, Chair, Senate Law & Justice Committee, Washington State Senate Josh Sattler, Administrator, Seattle Municipal Court Candis Martinson, City of Auburn Joseph Beck, City Attorney, City of Puyallup Commissioner Bertha Clayton, Walla Walla County Heidi Percy, Snohomish County Superior Court Acting Chief Judge Erik Price, Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II Judge Brian Gwinn, Grant County District Court Judge Catherine McDowall, Seattle Municipal Court Judge Kevin Ringus, Fife Municipal Court Frankie Peters, Administrator, Thurston County District Court Regina Alexander, Director of Probation, King County District Court Christine Simonsmeier, Administrator, Clark County Juvenile Court Jack Murphy, Probation Director, Douglas County Juvenile Court Chach Duarte White, Director of Legal Services, Legal Counsel for Your and Children Sarah Keith, Administrator, Kittitas County Superior Court Judge Michael R. Scott, King County Superior Court | Judge Shane Silverthorn, Yakima County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ferrera, Chelan County Superior Court Judge Andrea L. Beall, Puyallup Municipal Court Chief Judge Leone Reinbold, Colville Tribal Courts Sophia Byrd McSherry, Deputy Director, Office of Public Defense Sara Robbins, Director, Office of Civil Legal Aid Dawn Marie Rubio, State Court Administrator, Washington Administrative Office of the Courts Chief Judge RaShelle Davis, Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings Terra Nevitt, Executive Director, Washington State Bar Association Matthew Newberg, Garfield County Prosecutor Bridget Lopez, Evergreen Treatment Services REACH Program Steven D. Strachan, Executive Director, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Michelle Lucas, Legal Director, Sexual Violence Law Center Cody Nagle, Civil Survival Project Raven Buckingham Aäe, Haliruna Consulting LLC Sophia Thomas, Living with Conviction Organization Brittany Gregory, Executive Director, Washington State Women's Commission Maureen Johnston, First Assistant Attorney General, Washington Attorney General's Office |
