Judge David Frazier plans to retire after 34 years of service

Superior Court Judge David Frazier announced Monday he will not seek another term in this year’s election and plans to retire. Judge Frazier will conclude 16 years of service as superior court judge at the end of this year.

“While I have made it no secret that I would be retiring at the end of my current term, I feel at this time that I should formally announce that I will not be seeking re-election as Whitman County Superior Court Judge in the upcoming fall election. I just turned 65, and after almost 34 years of judicial service, I feel it is time to retire and to give someone else an opportunity to do this important job,” Judge Frazier said in his formal announcement.

He was first elected to the bench after the retirement of Judge Wallis Friel of Pullman. Prior to his first term on the superior court bench, Judge Frazier served for 18 years as Whitman County District Court judge for the total of 34 years of court service.

“I have been fortunate to have lived almost all of my life in Whitman County. I grew up and graduated from high school in Oakesdale, I obtained a degree in political science from WSU, and after I graduated from Gonzaga Law School, I had a private law practice in Tekoa. My wife Joanne and I moved to Colfax in 1983 after I was elected District Court Judge, and we raised our two children here. Joanne worked as a registered nurse in the county for 40 years. Our daughter, Jennifer Frazier Kurtulus, is a speech therapist at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, and our son, Robert “Bert” Frazier is a construction manager for Meridian Construction in the Spokane Valley.”

Judge Frazier said he is a firm believer in Washington’s system of electing judges and feels it is important for judges to serve out the term for which they were elected.

“This allows the citizens to select their own judges at the local level instead of having the decision made at the state level through a political appointment,” he said.

He plans to serve out his present term, therefore, until it expires at the beginning of January 2017.

“It has been a great honor and a pleasure to have served the citizens of this county for the past 34 years. I have been humbled by your continued support, and I thank you for providing me with this opportunity and a very rewarding and meaningful career,” he concluded.