Three attorneys have applied to succeed Clark County Superior Court Judge John Nichols, who plans to retire in January.
John Fairgrieve, Christopher Ramsay and Derek Vanderwood had submitted applications to Gov. Jay Inslee’s office by Friday’s deadline.
The governor plans to appoint one of the candidates in the next few months, said David Postman, a spokesman in the governor’s office.
“Judge Nichols’ retirement date is in January so it is unlikely we will be making an appointment before then,” Postman said.
The appointee would need to seek election in November 2015 in order to serve out the last two years of Nichols’ four-year term.
Chief deputy prosecutor
Fairgrieve, 54, of Vancouver is Clark County’s chief deputy prosecutor and has worked in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for nearly 20 years.
“I’ve been serving the public for 20 years and would like the opportunity to continue serving the public as a judge,” Fairgrieve said.
Fairgrieve graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law and began his career in October 1993 at a small Portland law firm, which handled federal bankruptcy, personal injury, criminal defense and attorney malpractice cases. He worked for the Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office from March to November 1994, when he joined the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
He worked his way up the ranks in Clark County until he was promoted to chief deputy prosecutor more than three years ago.
Fairgrieve also has been active with the Clark County Bar Association, Washington State Bar Association and the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates, the policy-making arm of the association. He served on the Clark County Bar Association’s board for seven years, including a term as president from September 2011 to August 2012. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps on both active duty and in the reserves from 1990 to 2013.
In 2009, he sought an appointment as court commissioner but withdrew his application after it became clear that budget cuts would eliminate the position.
Criminal attorney
Ramsay, 53, of Vancouver is a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor who has practiced law for 26 years.
He said he’s always wanted to be a judge and has tailored his career to that end. This is the third time he has sought appointment to a judicial seat in Clark County.
“If you are going to apply to be a judge, it takes a commitment because not everyone gets in the first time,” he said. “I’m still very interested in doing it. I think what I bring to the table is I’m the only one of the three candidates who has had both a prosecutor and criminal defense practice, equally divided.”
Ramsay joined the Denver District Attorney’s Office after graduating from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1988. He worked as a prosecutor until 2003, when he moved to Vancouver, his wife’s hometown.
He joined a private criminal defense firm, Morse Bratt Andrews & Foster, then opened his own practice in November 2006.
“I think that makes me uniquely qualified in this group to serve the county as the next Superior Court judge,” he said.
In 2004 and 2005, he volunteered by representing homeless people with legal difficulties.
He’s been an adjunct law professor at Metropolitan College in Denver and Washington State University Vancouver.
He also has been an evaluator for the Clark County Mock Trial.
Civil attorney
Derek Vanderwood, 47, of Camas is a civil attorney with English Lane Marshall & Vanderwood. He specializes in auto collision, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and consumer safety cases and handles cases across county lines and in federal court.
“I decided to become an attorney because of the unique ability it gives me to help other people, people in situations where they can’t help themselves and need assistance,” Vanderwood said. “I have continued to enjoy doing that for the past 20 years. I see becoming a judge as the next step.”
He graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 1994. After graduation, he opened his own practice in Edmonds in Snohomish County, where he handled family law, civil litigation and a federal discrimination lawsuit.
Vanderwood said he doesn’t have experience in criminal law but is interested in it.
He said he offers experience working in courts in different counties, which gives him a good perspective on best practices. He also practices in Oregon and is a member of multiple Oregon and Washington lawyer associations, including Washington State Association For Justice, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and the Oregon and Washington state bar associations.
The county has 10 Superior Court judge positions. Superior courts are the highest state trial courts, hearing felony and larger civil matters. Superior Court judges are paid $156,363 per year, plus benefits.
