Gov. Gregoire appoints Cowlitz County Superior Court judge

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2011

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced she will appoint Gary Bashor to the Cowlitz County Superior Court. Bashor has served as the Cowlitz County Superior Court commissioner since 1999. He also has a private practice, Bashor Law Offices in Longview, which focuses on civil mediation and arbitration.

�As an experienced superior court commissioner in Cowlitz County, Gary will be a tremendous asset to a court that has seen the departure of two well-respected judges within the past year,� Gregoire said. �His legal and judicial experience will fill a vital role on the Cowlitz County Superior Court.�

�I am extremely honored to have received the confidence of my community, my peers and especially Governor Gregoire,� said Bashor. �It will be my great privilege to serve this county as the next superior court judge.�

Bashor joined the practice of C. Michael McLean P.S. in 1984 as the staff attorney responsible for bankruptcy, estate planning and family law. He then opened his own private civil and criminal practice, where he focused primarily on family law, juvenile court, mental health defense and bankruptcy cases.

In 1999, Bashor was appointed Cowlitz County Superior Court commissioner. Bashor regularly hears family law, support enforcement, juvenile court and mental health commitment proceedings. He has also conducted mandatory family law settlement conferences and served as judge pro tem on criminal matters, and for district and municipal courts.

�We are very pleased with the decision of Governor Gregoire to appoint Gary Bashor as Cowlitz County Superior Court judge,� said Presiding Judge James Stonier. �He has provided an exemplary level of service to this community as our court commissioner, and will continue to do so as our newest judge.�

Bashor earned a bachelor�s degree from Lewis & Clark College, where he later earned a law degree in 1983. He currently serves as chair of the judgment and sentencing forms subcommittee of the committee that develops forms used statewide. He also serves on the child support schedule workgroup, which reviews and makes recommendations to the Legislature and the governor on the child support guidelines in Washington state.