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About Judge Jean
Judge Jean Rietschel is well-respected in the legal community, having a wealth of experience as a trial judge and as an attorney. She is highly rated by attorneys, perceived as a fair and well-reasoned jurist. Known for her excellent command of criminal law and procedure, Judge Rietschel is regularly consulted by other judges grappling with legal issues. Having served as the presiding judge of a large court, she knows how to handle the administrative functions of the court.
“My philosophy is to provide a fair opportunity to be heard by all parties, and to not prejudge any case or issue before hearing the evidence. I try to make the courtroom as open and comfortable as possible for the individuals appearing before me and to continue to examine myself for any biases. I recognize the distrust that certain communities have of the court system, and that it’s there for some very good reasons. I want to break that down, so that people will feel less afraid about coming to court and will see the court as a place trying to help while enforcing the law.”
In Judge Jean’s twelve years as a Municipal Court Judge, she has accomplished a great deal, including:
- Establishing a new domestic violence court, to hold suspects more accountable by having one judge hear multiple cases from the same defendant. In the previous system, one domestic violence case could be heard by several different judges throughout the course of a trial, allowing defendants to slip through the cracks. The new system gives judges an idea about the dynamics of a case, including the family situation.
- Serving, at the selection of her of peers, as Presiding Judge over the Seattle Municipal Court for three years.
- Implementing an alternative to the confinement program which allows, in appropriate circumstances, electronic home monitoring, work crew, enhanced community service and other incarceration alternatives that save jail costs and promote rehabilitation of defendants.
- Expanding the Relicensing Court to encourage payment plans and community service to get licenses reinstated. The Relicensing Court has increased public confidence in the Court system, increased payment of fines, and decreased recidivism and jail costs. It has become a model program for other courts throughout the state.
- Co-chairing the Misdemeanant Report which recommended methods to more efficiently process misdemeanors. The three top recommendations - establishing strategies to reduce the failure of defendants to appear in court, alternative sanctions, and relicensing programs – have been adopted by courts through out the state, saving these courts time and money.
Judge Jean is also active in the community:
- Judicial Ethics Advisory Board
- Board Member Seattle Counseling Service
- Chair, Regional Law and Justice Committee of King County
- Chair, Regional Relicensing Summit
- Co-chair, Misdemeanor Work Group, Adult Justice Operational Master Plan
- Advisory Committee, Adult Justice Operational Master Plan
- District and Municipal Judges Association representative to the WSBA Court Rules and Procedures Committee
- DMCJA Courts Helping Courts Committee
- DCMJA Legislative Committee
- DCMJA Rules Committee
- Seattle Domestic Violence Council, Critical Incident Review Committee, Washington State Domestic Violence Fatality Review, Stop Grant Domestic Violence Project, King County Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Coordinated Response King County Public Defense Study
- University of Washington Mentor Program
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