Thursday, Sep. 04, 2008

Yule backs Mendoza for Superior Court post

Kristin M. Kraemer, Herald staff writer

After following Sal Mendoza Jr.'s career for 11 years, retiring Judge Dennis Yule sees the "young, energetic" lawyer as the best candidate to help expand and reform the bicounty justice system.

Mendoza has the skills, the motivation and the breadth of community experience to complement the Benton-Franklin Superior Court bench, Yule told the Herald this week. That's why the veteran jurist has decided to endorse Mendoza for the job.

"I've had the extraordinary privilege of being on the bench for 22 years and I think that length of service ... at least it provides me the opportunity to share with people my views on what makes an effective judge and a particular candidate, like Sal Mendoza, to take on that care and responsibility," Yule said.

Mendoza will face off against lawyer Bruce Spanner in the Nov. 4 general election.

Spanner, who has been practicing law for nearly 24 years, received about 3,100 more votes than Mendoza in the August primary. Superior Court Commissioner Jerri Potts came in third.

Yule said he didn't feel it was appropriate to endorse a candidate before the primary because he highly regarded both Mendoza and Potts. So he waited until the voters picked the top two.

And on Wednesday, Potts threw her support behind Spanner.

"Bruce Spanner has the integrity, work ethic and legal experience that will lead him to be an outstanding judge," she said in a statement. "I ask that my supporters assist and vote for Bruce in the general election. He is the most qualified candidate ..."

Yule, 65, announced in April that he would retire to spend more time enjoying his family and the outdoors.

Mendoza said he was honored and humbled by Yule's endorsement.

Mendoza said he's been committed to making sure people have access to justice since he started as a law clerk working with a farmworker union, and that has carried through with his work on the Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society.

He wants to bring "new ideas to the problems affecting the bench" and help implement those solutions.

Yule said he has been watching Mendoza since the lawyer was first admitted to the bar and had encouraged him sometime ago to consider a career on the bench.

Mendoza exhibits the qualities important for an effective judge, Yule said, including a "good head and heart" to listen to all views before him and the ability to weigh those decisions.

"He has a real breadth of experience having been a prosecutor, assistant attorney general and, more recently, in private practice" dealing with criminal and civil matters, Yule said. "That professional experience is certainly important for a judge. ... And he has shown an interest in expanding and reforming the justice system, and in exploring innovative ways to carry out the mission of the court."

Yule pointed to Mendoza's work helping apply for a grant to pay for juvenile drug court and serving as a defense attorney in the program's early days.

Juvenile justice has been "particularly important" to Yule and he said Mendoza shares that passion.

He said he looks for a candidate who will appreciate the importance of continually assessing the justice system's need to improve and change, while dealing with the busy workload.

"Having a young, energetic new judge will certainly be helpful," Yule said.

Mendoza, who wants to become the first Latino judge in Benton-Franklin Superior Court, has a private law practice and has a contract with Benton County to represent poor defendants in Superior Court.

Spanner, who has a lengthy history of volunteerism in the Tri-Cities, is a partner in a Kennewick law firm. He specializes in civil and administrative law matters, such as real estate, employment, personal injury, insurance defense and product liability.

"I greatly appreciate Jerri's support," Spanner said Wednesday. "She is well respected in the legal community and among her peers."

Spanner says his years of experience with community organizations and in "areas of law that affect voters" make him the better candidate. It has been a longtime goal of his to be a judge, and his expertise and passion for law give him a solid foundation.

"I plan to work very hard as a judge and on this campaign," he said.