News and Updates

The Spokane County Bar Association releases findings for Judicial Candidates

(SPOKANE – July 14, 2026) The Spokane County Bar Association (SCBA) has released the results of the Judicial Candidates Evaluation Panel (Panel) and Bar Poll.

The Panel results are as follows:

FINDINGS:

District Court – Judge 2

Deanna Crull                                    Evaluated in 2022 as (Exceptionally Well Qualified)

Michael Valerien                             Exceptionally Well Qualified

 

District Court Judge 4

Michael Addams                             Qualified

Nicholas Ulrich                               Exceptionally Well Qualified

 

The Bar Poll results are as follows:

Approximately 17% of SCBA Members participated in the Bar Poll, which was conducted by Washington State University’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. The Bar Poll measured legal ability, judicial temperament, integrity, relevant legal experience, and suitability.  For each criterion candidates were rated along the following four-point scale as follows:

1          Not Qualified

2          Qualified

3          Well Qualified

4          Exceptionally Well Qualified

The results reported below consist of a) average ratings for the candidate for the five stated categories, and b) specific responses received for the candidate under each criterion.

 

	Legal Ability	Judicial Temperament	Integrity	Relevant Legal Experience	Suitability
Michael Addams	2.86	3.10	3.14	2.82	2.91
Nicholas Ulrich	3.03	2.96	2.97	2.88	2.89
Michael Valerien	2.85	2.89	2.91	2.96	2.91

 

Candidate Deanna Crull did not participate in this year’s Bar Poll or judicial evaluation. She has opted to use her judicial evaluation rating from 2022 as noted above.

The Judicial Evaluation Panel is comprised of retired judges and attorneys representing criminal prosecution and defense, the Gonzaga School of Law, and a variety of private practices. The Panel interviewed candidates, reviewed candidate materials, Washington State Bar Association records, and took into consideration Bar Poll findings to come to its conclusions.

The Panel was led by SCBA President Nick Pontarolo. Pontarolo states, “The SCBA is pleased to announce the results of the Judicial Candidates Evaluation Panel and Bar Poll. We believe these results are useful in helping our community members to better understand the quality and fitness of the candidates for its judiciary. We strongly believe that those who wish to judge the members of our community should first submit to evaluation from their peers in the law.”

CONTACT

Mark Wardrop, Interim SCBA Executive Director, (509) 477-2672, MWardrop@SpokaneBar.org.

 

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The Spokane County Bar Association is a nonprofit civic organization, which works to enhance the integrity and competence of the legal community and to pursue greater access to justice for all.