2 new Benton District Court judges appointed

PROSSER -- Joe Burrowes was hired less than two hours before his new job's first shift began Tuesday.

Luckily, he's familiar with the position.

Burrowes, a Benton County District Court commissioner as of Monday morning, became one of the county's two new District Court judges as the hands on the clock ticked toward noon.

Along with Judge Pro Tem Katy Butler, Burrowes was chosen out of a four-person pool interviewed Tuesday by the Benton County commissioners during their Tuesday meeting in Prosser.

"I'll step right up to the plate today," Burrowes said after his selection around 11:30 a.m. He had a 1 p.m. District Court docket at the Justice Center.

Burrowes and Butler were appointed to the open positions Tuesday, and both will run for election in 2010.

The other two candidates were longtime public defender and Judge Pro Tem Daniel Kathren and local attorney and Judge Pro Tem David Petersen.

Butler said she'll likely be sworn in as a new judge near the end of this month.

"For this door to open for me, it's really exciting," she said outside the commission chambers.

Butler has been a judge pro tem since 1994 and was a part-time county court commissioner from 1997 to 2003. In 2003, she briefly held a full-time court commission seat. She also does pro tem work in Franklin County and Pasco Municipal Court.

Benton County had to add two full-time judges after deciding in April to move to a five-judge, zero-court commissioner system for District Court from the previous three-judge, two-court commissioner system.

Judges make $141,710 annually, while court commissioners make 90 percent of that. However, the county should receive increased money from the state's Trial Court Improvement Fund, which should offset the extra costs.

The county's decision became official last week when the commissioners approved a District Court districting plan, and County Administrator David Sparks presented the top four candidates to the county commissioners Monday.

"I firmly believe we have four very, very good candidates," Commissioner Max Benitz Jr. said before Burrowes and Butler were each approved with separate 3-0 votes.

Each candidate was allowed to make an opening statement and was then asked the same six questions by the commissioners. Questions ranged from "What's your biggest weakness?" to "What will be your biggest challenge in the first six months and how will you overcome it?" to "What traits and ideas will you bring to the District Court bench?"

Burrowes' biggest weakness, he said, is his openness. He said he's approachable and willing to talk to people about how he reaches decisions. "Some people can see that as a weakness."

Butler said her biggest weakness is her "limited familiarity" with the District Court's JABS computer system that gives judges access to criminal records, dockets and other information throughout the state.

-- Drew Foster: 585-7207; dfoster@tricityherald.com