Our courts are facing difficult challenges right now. The opioid crisis, an underfunded mental health system, outdated mandatory sentencing restrictions, a bail system in need of reform, jail over-crowding, and the crushing cost of civil litigation are all urgent problems. And now the unprecedented fall-out from the COVID-19 crisis. There is no magic bullet for any of these problems. But they all require thoughtful collaboration by judges and the many others who have a stake in the safety of Snohomish County communities.
Since joining the Snohomish County Superior Court bench in 2018, I have been determined to use my judicial position to make a difference in people’s lives, just as I did in my career as a Public Defender, where I gained a deep understanding of what inaccess to justice looks like in our communities.
Judge Paul Thompson
Snohomish County Superior Court