Charles W. Johnson
From Judgepedia
This page is about the Washington Supreme Court justice. If you are looking for information on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals justice, please see Charles A. Johnson.
Contents |
Charles W. Johnson is an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court. He was first elected to the state's highest court in January 1991. He won re-election for a second term in 1996, and a third term in 2002. He is now the most senior justice on the court. In 2008, he ran for re-election to a fourth six-year term against challengers Frank Vulliet and James Beecher. On August 19th, he won his re-election contest by receiving over 50% of the popular vote. He was originally appointed by Democrat Governor Locke.
Legal education
Justice Johnson graduated from the University of Washington in 1974. In 1976, he graduated from the University of Puget Sound School of Law (now Seattle University School of Law). [1]
Legal experience
Justice Charles Johnson went into private practice in 1977. He is an adjunct professor and authored an update to the state's search and seizure law with the Seattle University Law Review in 1998 and 2005.
Awards and associations
In the past, Justice Johnson has been a member of the Washington State and Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Associations since 1977, has served on the Board of Directors of the Washington Association for Children and Parents, has been Co-Chairman of the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission, served on the Washington State Limited Practice Board, and was Chairman of the Task Force on Equal Civil Justice Funding. Currently, Justice Johnson is Chairman of the Court's Rules Committee and is a member of its Administrative, Budget and Personnel Committees and is a member of the American Inns of Court and the World Affairs Council.
2008 campaign
August 19 primary results
For Position 4, Charles Johnson defeated challengers James Beecher and Frank Vulliet (379,647 to 198,727 and 68,378, respectively; or 58.70% to 30.73% and 10.57%, respectively).[2]
Endorsements
Washington Women Lawyers, The King County Bar Association, Loren Miller Bar Association, Latina/Latino Bar Association and Joint Asian Judicial Evaluations Committee has given Washington Supreme Court Justice Charles W. Johnson its highest possible rating, calling him "exceptionally well qualified" to serve another term.[3]
2002 campaign
Contributions
In the 2002 race for the Washington Supreme Court, Charles Johnson raised $114,363. Lawyers and Lobbyists make up the strong majority of the campaign contributions with $74,918, or 65.51%. Labor makes up the second largest group with $11,300, or 9.88%, and the third group consisted of Retirees and Civil Servants with $7,496, or 6.55% of the total.[4]
Seattle Times interview
- General election question: What about your personal background and community involvement qualifies you for this position?
- I practiced law for 14 years, representing clients with more common legal problems, the type of cases the court often deals with. I enjoy, in my spare time, teaching state constitutional law at Seattle University and support dozens of worthwhile community programs.
- Primary election questions: What can Washington state justices do to ensure mistakes aren’t made in death-penalty cases?
- We can, as we have, adopt rules requiring appointment of qualified counsel and, as the budget allows, increase the pay to attract more qualified counsel.
- What do you think about a judge declaring the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional because it mentions God?
- I disagree that the First Amendment prohibits repeating the words "under God." The First Amendment is concerned about the establishment of a government religion and is not antagonistic toward religious practices.
- What value do you hold above all others and why? Personally, my relationship with my wife and family.
- As a judge, individual rights and liberties.[5]
Marijuana odor in vehicle?
Justice Johnson wrote the majority opinion for a unanimous decision in July 2008 determining that police cannot arrest passengers for riding in a car that smells like marijuana. The decision, "Our cases have strongly and rightfully protected our constitution's protection of individual privacy. The protections... do not fade away or disappear within the confines of an automobile. We hold that the smell of marijuana in the general area where an individual is located is insufficient, without more, to support probable cause for arrest. Where no other evidence exists linking the passenger to any criminal activity, an arrest of the passenger on the suspicion of possession of illegal substances, and any subsequent searches, is invalid and an unconstitutional invasion of that individual's right to privacy."[6] reads
Dissent on freedom of information
On May 13, 2004, the Washington Supreme Court ruled in a 5 to 4 decision that the attorney-client privilege is greater than the "Public Disclosure Act." Chief Justice Gerry Alexander wrote for the majority that the legislature "created the exemption when it amended the disclosure law, which makes most government documents available to the public, in 1987."[7] Justice Johnson wrote in the dissent that the decision "renders ineffectual the (law's) strong mandate to agencies that they must disclose public information," and that the law applies to lawyers, not governmental agencies. His dissent was signed by Justices Barbara Madsen, Richard Sanders and Tom Chambers.[8]
External links
- Justice Charles Johnson Reelection website
- WA Justice Charles Johnson seeks another high court term
- Wikipedia: Charles W. Johnson
- Follow the Money: Charles Johnson 2002 Election
- Johnson ousts popular Chief Justice 1990
- Seattle Times Interview with Charles Johnson
- Report on Justice Charles Johnson's Public Statement
- The Washington Supreme Court blog, an unofficial blog that covers the Washington State Supreme Court and its justices
References
 |
The Washington Project on Judgepedia
|
