Three candidates vie for Superior Court Judge for Asotin, Garfield, and Columbia counties

DAYTON-Vic Bottomly is a private practice attorney in Clarkston, Wash., focusing on Criminal and Civil Law for Asotin, Garfield and Columbia Counties.

Bottomly said he never before set out to be a judge because he has been happy in his 27-year- career as a trial lawyer.

But over the past several years the Superior Courts in the three counties have struggled with an increasing caseload and lack of resources. The courts have also had to "trudge" along without a sitting judge for over a year, Bottomly said.

"This created a large backlog for our dockets and brought case resolutions to a crawl. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded delays. Our courts need to regroup and reorganize," he said. "My interest in this position is simply to bring stability back to the judiciary and provide focus and energy on improving how our courts treat our citizens."

Bottomly is licensed to practice law in Montana and Idaho, but the majority of his practice has been in Washington State. He said he has engaged in just about every area of law that might come before judges in the Superior Courts, as well as in the Federal courts. He said he is fortunate to have appeared before judges in almost every county in the state.

Bottomly attended the University of Montana School of Law and has an advanced tax law degree from the University of Washington School of Law.

Brooke J. Burns is a Court Commissioner in private practice in Clarkston, Wash., focusing on Family and Criminal Law. She said the focus on Family and Criminal law is good preparation for the role of Superior Court judge because those are the majority of cases they need to understand and rule on.

Over the years Burns has found herself frustrated when experiencing unsound legal decisions and/or bias, in the legal system, she said.

"The most important task as a judge is to make sure that you have looked at all of the evidence and that you apply the law," she said. "That may sound obvious but you would be surprised how many times those essential elements are overlooked."

She said, if she is elected, she will make sound decisions that are sound on the law and well-based on facts, the way she has always wanted to see from the bench.

"I've worked years to get here which is why I made the decision to file," Burns said.

Burns is a graduate of the Creighton University of Law and has practiced law in her hometown of Clarkston since 2006.

For G. Scott Marinella there is no substitution for judicial experience and the depth of cases. He said the trials he has handled during his thirty-six-year career as an attorney make him an excellent candidate for the position of Superior Court Judge.

Marinella has served as Columbia County's District Court judge since 2002. Before that he was in private practice with local attorney and former state legislator, Terry Nealey. Marinella also served under Nealey as the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, which he said gave him a well-rounded legal practice in criminal and civil trial work.

For the past twenty years Marinella has served as a Court Commissioner in the Superior Court for Garfield and Asotin counties, and has served the judicial district as an elected Judge Pro-tempore, handling dockets in all three counties, including trials and various hearings.

Marinella said he is in the process of winding down his private practice, in Dayton.

"I am interested in working as a full-time judicial officer. It will be a great amount of work, but I am looking forward to it," he said.

Marinella graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1983 and has a background in business administration.