Judicial Commission Reprimands Stevens County District Court Judge Tveit for Nepotism Appearance

The Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct issued a formal reprimand to Stevens County District Court Judge Gina Tveit, regarding the hiring of her two adult children for court positions between 2020 and 2024.

In an order filed on November 21, 2025, the Commission approved a stipulation in which Judge Tveit agreed that the employment of her children created an impermissible appearance of nepotism, violating the Code of Judicial Conduct.

The inquiry focused on a series of hiring decisions made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to court documents, the Stevens County District Court hired Judge Tveit’s adult daughter in July 2020 as a “Covid support specialist.” This position, funded by a federal grant, was created to help maintain health protocols, such as sanitizing the courtroom after every case.

The judge’s daughter later transferred to a full-time position as a probation assistant in October 2021.

In February 2022, the court hired Judge Tveit’s adult son as a “bailiff/probation assistant.” He subsequently moved to a position as a legal process clerk in 2023 before transitioning to the probation assistant role previously held by his sister. Both children lived in Judge Tveit’s home during the time of their hiring and employment.

Administrative Responsibility

Judge Tveit, who has served as the court’s sole regular judge since 2009, did not personally conduct the hiring. The stipulation notes that the court administrator handled the hiring process and acted as the direct supervisor for both children.

However, the Commission determined that because Judge Tveit is the presiding judge and department head, she retains “paramount administrative authority” over the court’s business.

Mitigating and Aggravating Factors

The Commission acknowledged the difficult circumstances facing the court at the time, noting that the hiring occurred during the COVID-19 crisis when finding qualified staff in rural communities was challenging. The court had to implement “onerous sanitation requirements” and modernize operations to handle case backlogs.

However, the Commission also noted aggravating factors. Judge Tveit was previously disciplined in 2016 for a campaign reporting violation. Additionally, the Commission pointed out that existing ethics advisory opinions regarding nepotism should have alerted the judge to the problematic nature of employing family members.

Sanctions Imposed

As part of the disciplinary action, Judge Tveit must read the Code of Judicial Conduct and complete corrective training focused on best practices in court administration. She has also agreed not to retaliate against anyone who cooperated with the Commission’s investigation.

The reprimand serves as an intermediate level of discipline, requiring the judge to appear personally before the Commission. Judge Tveit cooperated fully with the investigation and acknowledged the misconduct by entering into the agreement.