Helen Halpert
Helen Halpert was a superior court judge for the Juvenile Court in the King County Superior Court of Washington.[1] Halpert retired on June 30, 2018.[2]
Halpert won a four-year term in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Campaign themes
2016
Halpert participated in Ballotpedia's 2016 survey of local judicial candidates. The following sections display her responses to the survey questions. When asked what non-judicial legal experience qualifies her to be a judge, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | This is a somewhat difficult question to answer, because I have been a judge for more than a quarter of a century. I am an active member of the community and raised two children in Seattle.[3][4] | ” |
When asked why she was running for this particular court seat, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | I have been a member of the King County Superior Court bench for many years. I have been involved in a number of efforts to improve the judicial system, including serving as a member of the recent legislative task force on juvenile sentencing reform. I have the enthusiasm and commitment to continue to serve the people of King County.[3][4] | ” |
When asked to identify one judge, past or present, who she admires, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: she has served as a role model for my generation of women lawyers. Now, law schools are approximately 50% women. This certainly was not true when I developed an interest in law. Justice Ginsburg was an inspiration to many of us as we began our careers.[3][4] | ” |
When asked about her primary concern regarding today's judicial system in her state, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | Washington trial courts are woefully underfunded--we are at the very bottom of state funding on a nation-wide basis. This makes it very difficult to address the needs of unrepresented litigants, develop programs to encourage jurors from all sectors of our community to respond to their juror summonses and to address challenging issues of youth incarceration by providing programs that engage kids in schools and keep them out of the juvenile justice system.[3][4] | ” |
Additional themes
Halpert provided the following statement for the Washington general election voters pamphlet:
| “ |
As a dedicated and valued member of the court, Judge Halpert has been endorsed by over 70 trial and appellate court judges. Known for her integrity and dedication, Judge Halpert is also endorsed by scores of attorneys and community leaders. She has received endorsements from a number of elected officials, including Dow Constantine, King County Executive. She was endorsed by King County Young Democrats and several Democratic legislative districts. Judge Halpert has presided over every type of case, ranging from aggravated murders to automobile accidents to family law matters. She knows that, for each person appearing in her court, their case is the most important in the courthouse. She strives to treat each person with respect and dignity and to run the courtroom fairly and efficiently. Judge Halpert has high standards for the lawyers who appear before her, but no higher than the standards she imposes on herself. Helen and her husband have raised two wonderful children. She loves cooking, entertaining and outdoor activities. The record shows that Judge Halpert is the most experienced, balanced and respected candidate in this race. You are invited to judge for yourself and consult www.votingforjudges.org. Judge Halpert respectfully requests your vote.[5][4] |
” |
| —Helen Halpert (2016) | ||
Elections
2016
Washington held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. Candidates for district and superior court seats had to file for election by May 20, 2016. Primary elections were held on August 2, 2016, for six seats where more than two candidates filed for election. Incumbent Helen Halpert defeated Marc Stern in the King Superior Court nonpartisan general election for Position 31.[6]
| King County Superior Court, Position 31 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Helen Halpert Incumbent |
78.66% | 612,953 |
| Marc Stern | 21.34% | 166,263 |
| Total Votes | 779,216 | |
| Source: Washington Secretary of State, "November 8, 2016 General Election Results," accessed November 13, 2016 | ||
Selection method
For more information about judicial selection processes in each state, click here.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ King County Superior Court Judges
- ↑ King County Bar Association, "Openings for Appointment of Election," accessed July 3, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Ballotpedia's local judicial candidate survey, 2016, "Helen Halpert's Responses," August 25, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Voters Pamphlet," accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 21, 2016
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington
State courts:
Washington Supreme Court • Washington Court of Appeals • Washington Superior Court • Washington District Courts • Washington Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Washington • Washington judicial elections • Judicial selection in Washington
