Q&A: Court candidate Colberg says voters should look for impartiality, experience

(The Center Square) – After serving as a Snohomish County pro tem court commissioner for 18 years, family law attorney Laura Christensen Colberg has fixed her sights on the Washington Supreme Court.

She’s running for Position 1 against incumbent Justice Colleen Melody, whom Gov. Bob Ferguson recently appointed to the court after she had worked under him at the state attorney general’s office, and tax attorney Scott Edwards.

In a recent interview with The Center Square, Colberg laid out her judicial experience, constitutional interpretation, limits on what candidates can say about issues likely to come before the court, and why she thinks voters should focus on impartiality ahead of a contested August primary for Melody’s seat.

The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

The Center Square: For voters who may not know you, why did you decide to run for the Washington Supreme Court?

Colberg: I come from a background in family law...