I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to my fabulous supporters who through your votes; efforts in talking to family, friends, neighbors, club members, and co-workers; ringing doorbells and various other efforts have resulted in getting me one step closer to realizing my dream of becoming a judge so I can combine my passions of helping people and my love of the law. Without you, it would not be possible. In return for your support and belief in me, I promise to work as hard in the charge toward the General Election as I will as a Superior Court Judge. -Bruce

Dear Friends:

What attributes do you look for in a judicial candidate? You should expect a judge to have a wealth of experience, and the skill to handle a wide variety of cases and issues. A judge must have a servant’s heart. A judge must be independent, making rulings based on the evidence and the applicable laws, regardless of the judge’s personal beliefs and regardless of the parties or attorneys involved. In other words, a judge must be fair and impartial. I submit that I have those qualities. I am running for judge because I have a passion for the law and a passion for community service.

Background and Education. I was raised and educated in the Tri-Cities. After a brief period working as a chemical engineer in the pulp and paper industry, I attended Gonzaga Law School, finishing second in my class. Recognizing that ours is a special community, I returned to the Tri-Cities to raise a family, build a career and serve the community.

Extensive and Broad Legal Experience. I presently serve as Judge Pro-Tempore of Benton Franklin Counties Superior Court and Judge Pro-Tempore of Benton County District Court. [What is a Pro-Tempore you might ask? Pro Tempore means "for the time being" in Latin. It means I was a substitute judge. As an officer of the court I have been asked to serve as a stand-in judge.] I have worked in private practice for over 23 years, and have broad experience in virtually all areas of the law that are decided in superior court. I have appeared in appellate, superior, district courts and administrative agencies in the state and federal systems.

Ethical. Attorneys and judges should be held to the highest ethical standards. I am keenly aware of those standards. I am a contract attorney to the Commission on Judicial Conduct and have represented the Washington State Bar Association as volunteer disciplinary counsel.

Community Service. A judge must treat every person with dignity, understanding that every person’s case is the most important thing facing them at the time. A judge must understand the stress and anxiety of the people that enter the unfamiliar legal system, and their need to be heard, to be understood and to be treated fairly. That requires experience and the heart of a servant. I have served our community for 23 years. I provide pro bono legal to people who cannot afford legal representation. I am presently pro bono legal adviser to Habitat for Humanity and other organizations. I have provided countless hours of volunteer service, including manual labor, for various civic, church and other non-profit organizations. I have also held leadership positions in many local non-profits, including March of Dimes, Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, Kiwanis and Tri-Cities Water Follies Association.

Fair and Impartial. Everyone who comes before a court is entitled to be treated fairly. I do not purport to represent any group, nor do I seek to advance the cause of any person or association. I have represented Fortune 500 companies, and brought claims against them as well. I have not limited my practice to representing one side or another. My goal is to faithfully and diligently serve to administer justice to all regardless of the person’s background or affiliation.

I am the only candidate to be given a BV Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, the authoritative resource for information on the legal profession worldwide. The BV® certification mark is an "excellent" rating for a lawyer.

The Honorable Judge Dennis Yule, who retires in December, will long be remembered as judge who served our community well. All who appeared before him left knowing that he cared; that he understood the persons and legal issues and that he diligently worked to correctly decide their cases. If elected, I hope I would leave the same legacy. I have the experience, a passion for the law and a passion to serve the community.