Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 2, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke names three to King County Superior Court

SEATTLE — Gov. Gary Locke today named three individuals to positions on the King County Superior Court.

James Cayce, presiding judge of the King County District Court, was appointed to the court to fill a new position.

Richard McDermott, a long-time Bellevue resident and lawyer, was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge Jim Bates last month.

Mary Yu, deputy chief of staff for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, was appointed to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Janice Niemi later this month.

In announcing the appointments, Locke said, "These three individuals have demonstrated leadership ability and intelligence necessary to adapt to the wide variety of demands placed on superior court judges. We need people with unquestionably solid legal skills, integrity and experience. They must have reputations for integrity, fairness, hard work and intelligence. Clearly, these are the right people for the job."

Cayce, 46, formed the King County Mental Health Court, which later became a national model. He also created a speakers' bureau among the district and municipal court judges that reaches out to immigrant communities to educate them about the court system. A native of West Seattle, Cayce earned a degree in economics from the University of Washington and attended the University of Puget Sound School of Law. He has been a director of the Renton Area Youth and Family Services organization and has been actively involved in other community activities.

McDermott, 52, is a graduate of Seattle University and the University of Washington School of Law. He served as a King County deputy prosecutor and criminal defense lawyer. He has worked extensively on civil litigation, focusing on personal injury matters. He also served eight years on the board of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, and has been involved in many community and church activities.

Yu, 42, earned a degree from Dominican University, a master's degree in religious studies from Loyola University, and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. She also served as director of the Office for the Ministry of Peace and Justice for the Archdiocese of Chicago, providing policy advice and responsibilities for 450 parishes.

After law school, she joined the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office where she handled litigation surrounding land use, construction issues and contract compliance. She worked in various capacities in the prosecutor's office, and was named chief of staff.

Yu and McDermott will assume their new responsibilities within the month, and Cayce will join them in July. Each position carries a salary of $108,300.

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