Washington Courts Report

In this episode, host Patric Haerle talks with Chris Simonsmeier (Clark County Juvenile Court Administrator and WAJCA President) and Jack Murphy (Douglas County Juvenile Court Administrator and incoming WAJCA President).

They discuss the work of the Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators, new developments in juvenile justice, and how detention alternatives and diversion programs are shaping the future for young people across the state.

Subscribe for monthly episodes and stay connected with the Washington Courts Report.

In this episode of the Washington Courts Report, host Patric Haerle speaks with Marie Docter, Attorney at Briggs and Briggs and President of the Thurston County Bar Association, about the Lawyers in the Classroom program.

On Law Day on May 1, the Washington State Bar Association partnered with the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Washington Supreme Court to launch a statewide classroom pledge. The initiative encourages lawyers across Washington to teach a civics lesson on or around Constitution Day to help strengthen civic understanding and bridge divides.

Marie shares her experiences participating in the program, including how it benefits students and practical advice for attorneys preparing to visit a classroom.

A great listen for anyone interested in civics education, public service, or supporting Washington’s future learners.

April is Second Chance Month. A month dedicated to informing and highlighting the many opportunities for state, local, and tribal governments and community-based service providers to build meaningful second chances for people returning from incarceration.

To mark the occasion, host Patric Haerle sat down with the AOC’s own Yvonne Jones, a Senior Court Program Analyst, to discuss reentry programs, including: the kind of services they provide, why they’re needed and highlighting just a few of the many reentry programs in Washington.

It’s Civic Learning Week — a national effort to highlight the importance of civic education in sustaining and strengthening our democracy.

To mark the occasion, host Patric Haerle sits down with Supreme Court Justice Sal Mungia for a conversation on all things civics: why civics education matters, the role of Mock Trials and the Traveling Court program, his recent experience serving jury duty and what it taught him, his work with a local school district, and his recommendations for accessible civic resources.

Listen now and join the Civic Learning Week conversation.

Want to catch up on some of the biggest developments from the past year in Washington Courts? Tune in to the latest episode of Washington Courts Report!

In this episode, host Patric Haerle walks through key takeaways from the 2026 State of the Judiciary Report, released this week to inform lawmakers and the public about the challenges, innovations, leadership updates, and major court news from the past year.

Highlights include:
• Updates from the Supreme Court’s Minority and Justice Commission
• Newly adopted scoring changes for Washington’s Universal Bar Exam
• Progress in the Hope Card program and Blake relief efforts
• A historic transition underway at the Washington Supreme Court

New episodes are released monthly. Be sure to subscribe the Washington Courts YouTube page or follow Washington Courts Report on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to stay up to date.

We’d love to hear from you. Share what’s happening in your court or suggest future topics by emailing Patric.Haerle@courts.wa.gov.