Superior Court judges

District Court Judge Harold Clarke III will face attorney Gail Schwartz in the only contested Superior Court race on the ballot.

Clark and Schwartz finished first and second in the Sept. 14 primary, ahead of Court Commissioner Joe Valente. But neither candidate won 50 percent of the vote – Clarke won, 48 percent to 29 percent – and so the race is decided between the top two candidates in the general election.

They are vying to replace retiring Judge Paul Bastine in Position 8.

Clarke was born and raised in Spokane and is the son of a retired Superior Court judge. He worked 18 years in private practice before he won a three-way race to the Spokane County District Court in 1998.

Clarke points to his reputation with attorneys.

“Lawyers don’t have to guess about myself,” Clarke said. “They’ve seen me in court for the last six years.”

He added, “As a judge, you always have to work hard each and every day, treat people appropriately, listen hard and come up with the proper decision.”

Schwartz started her own law practice after graduating from Gonzaga Law School in 1998. Schwartz says she brings a lot of life experience – as a former waitress who attended law school and started a second career – to help her better understand the community she’d serve on the bench.

“I’m a working mother. I’m Japanese(-American). I’ve lived through a lot,” she said.

Her practice focused on family law with some bankruptcy and personal injury cases.

Other judicial elections: Incumbent Judge Sam Cozza defeated Steve Eugster in the primary for the Position 6 seat. Ten other judicial positions are being sought by incumbent judges who are unopposed.