Recently obtained public records are shedding new light on the Clallam County Superior Court’s hiring process for its newest Family Court Commissioner.
A review of the documents reveals a notable detail regarding the hiring process: the court interviewed a total of just three candidates for the vacancy left by the termination of former Commissioner Brian Parker in February.
Lorraine Rimson was ultimately selected for the position, officially assuming her role on the bench on June 1, 2026.
According to the interview schedule—managed by Court Administrator Lacey Halberg’s office—the court allocated only three interview time slots over a two-day period.
Two candidates were interviewed on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., while the final candidate was interviewed on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.
The identities of the unsuccessful applicants were redacted by the county. According to the accompanying redaction log, the names were withheld under Washington state law (RCW 42.56.250(1)(b)), an exemption that protects applications for public employment from public disclosure.
In addition to the schedule, we acquired the 15-question script used by the Superior Court to evaluate the limited pool of candidates.
The document covers standard legal background inquiries, such as research habits, experience with therapeutic courts, and interactions with self-represented (pro se) litigants.
The script also poses several situational questions regarding judicial temperament and decision-making, asking candidates how they make decisions “when there seems to be no good alternatives,” and what they do when required to make a ruling but are not prepared to do so.
Acknowledging the difficulties of the docket, another question notes that “many lawyers express a dislike for family law matters,” and asks why the applicant wants to spend their entire day working on these types of cases.
In our continuing commitment to government accountability, The Olympic Herald is publishing these records in their entirety below.
📄 Family Court Commissioner Interview Schedule Redacted (808KB ∙ PDF file)
📄 Family Court Commissioner Interview Questions (696KB ∙ PDF file)
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