PROFESSIONAL, ACADEMIC AND LIVED EXPERIENCE

I have the professional, academic, and lived experience that makes me the most qualified to be Tacoma’s next Municipal Court Judge.

It’s important when assessing an individual’s qualifications for a position like Tacoma Municipal Court that their professional, academic, and lived experiences are equally taken into consideration. Knowledge of the law comes easily. The ability to apply the law, however, in a fair, just, and equitable manner is based on lived experience and exposure to the community of individuals that a judge serves in court. Hard work, determination, resilience, quality discernment capabilities, passion, compassion, and desire for social justice cannot be taught. I am the only candidate that has all these skills.

 

Pro Tem Judge

City of Tacoma (2022 to present)—As a pro tem judge, I cover Tacoma Municipal Court when a Judge or Commissioner is unavailable. My role as a pro tem judge is like that of an elected municipal court judge. I review cases and offer rulings in an impartial, unbiased, and fair manner based on city laws. I cover different types of calendars such as infractions, arraignments, pretrials, and reviews.

Prosecutor

City of Auburn (2021 to present) — As a city prosecutor, I represent the City of Auburn in every type of hearing held in King County District Court (KCDC). This includes contested traffic infractions, tow hearings, arraignments, pre-trial conferences, trials, sentences, probation, diversion, and others. I review and argue about 20 to 50 cases per day in court. One of my main responsibilities include overseeing the operations of the Auburn Community Court, which is a therapeutic and diversion court.

City of Tacoma (2017 to 2021)—As a city prosecutor, I represented the City of Tacoma in every type of hearing held in the Tacoma Municipal Court. In this role, I attended hundreds of hearings, and argued thousands of cases before this court. I reviewed and argued about 30 to 60 cases per day in court.

Therapeutic Courts

Auburn Community Court (2017 to present)—In June 2021, I was hired to spearhead Auburn’s first community court as a prosecuting attorney. Community court is an alternative, problem-solving court for some non-violent misdemeanor cases. It allows cases to be handled by referrals to community resources that address a participant’s underlying needs that likely led to criminal activity. In this role I am responsible for creating a criterion for eligibility, educate the public, promote the court, and participate as the City’s representative.

Tacoma Mental Health Court (2017 to 2021)—As a Tacoma prosecutor, I participated in the Mental Health Court. This is a therapeutic court that provides a supportive and structured environment for individuals who are charged with a misdemeanor crime and suffer from mental illness.

Employment Standards

City of Tacoma Employment Standards Office (2016 to 2018) —As an attorney and program manager, I oversaw the implementation and enforcement of the City of Tacoma Paid Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Ordinances. My main task was to educate the public about these ordinances, create a solid enforcement mechanism that ensured fairness and impartiality, and to keep the City Council updated on enforcement of the law. I reviewed, remediated, and settled hundreds of cases.

City of Seattle Office of Labor Standard (2015 to 2016) —As an attorney and investigator of labor standards, I was responsible for the entire investigation of any allegation. This included intakes with workers, interviews with employers and witnesses, settlement negotiations, findings, and appeals. During my tenure, most of the cases assigned to me resulted in a settlement where the worker was made whole, and the employer was sanctioned by requiring education, awareness, and compliance monitoring for a period. I investigated and settled approximately 50 cases.

Volunteer Work

Northwest Immigrants’ Rights Project (2017 to present)— As a pro-bono immigration defense attorney for the Northwest Immigrants’ Rights Project (NWIRP) I represent asylees who have fled their countries due to gender-based violence. This type of legal advocacy work requires a high level of cultural competency, patience, and compassion due to the delicate nature of the subject. Most of the asylees are from Central America, where patriarchal norms often remain deeply rooted in institutions and society. Unfortunately, even when laws exist against violence towards women, they are rarely enforced, especially for the marginalized indigenous community.

Tacoma Rainbow Center (2017 to 2022) —I served as a volunteer in its Board of Directors as board member and board president. As board member, I chaired the committee that oversaw policies concerning equity and inclusion, recruitment and retention, and strategic planning for the organization. One of my major accomplishments as committee chair, was updating the board’s bylaws. As board president, I oversaw the transition of executive directors, the hiring of a new executive director, and the financial stabilization of the organization.

YWCA Pierce County (2018 to present)— As a prosecutor with an interest in decreasing domestic violence in our community, I volunteer with YWCA Pierce County. For the past four years, I have volunteer by presenting at the organization’s Domestic Violence Victim Legal Services Training. The presentation covers Washington State domestic violence laws, court procedure, and recent updates to the law. My volunteerism with the YWCA provided me the opportunity to hear directly from the victims and their advocates about the challenges and obstacles of our criminal legal system concerning domestic violence.

Mano-a-Mano (2004 to 2009)—As a student, I co-founded an organization at Seattle Central College to help eliminate barriers for high school Latino students who wanted to attend college. Mano-a-Mano provides information sessions and scholarships to minority high school students who want to attend Seattle Central College. The group was able to establish a scholarship endowment fund that allows the college to award one scholarship each year to a Latinx or minority student.

Government Work

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (2008 to 2012)— As a congressional aide to U.S. Senator Patty Murray, one of my main responsibilities was to meet individuals and organizations in Washington and act as a liaison promoting the Senator’s policies priorities on a national level. One of the most meaningful connections was with Washington Community Action Network (CAN). As King County Director, I helped bring millions of federal dollars to local projects that had a huge impact to our region and our communities. For example, I worked with regional leaders to secure federal funding to repair the Howard Hanson Dam, to avoid a catastrophic flood in the region. I was also central in her stand on marriage equality and denouncing the Defense of Marriage Act.

King County Councilmember Dow Constantine (2007 to 2008)—as an aide to Councilmember Constantine (now King County Executive), I was tasked with constituent relations, scheduling, policy strategy, and outreach.

Education and Training

Juris Doctorate (2012 to 2015)— University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law, formally John Marshall Law School. Received certification in Intellectual Property. Participated in the Trademark clinic and Fashion and Design law clinic.

Bachelor of Arts (2004 to 2007) –Political Science at Seattle University.

Associates of Applied Science (2002 to 2004)—Commercial Photography at Seattle Central College.

After high school, I considered military service as a link to higher education but as an out gay man, due to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I was ineligible to participate.

Lived Experience

I have experienced a broad range of challenges and growth opportunities throughout my life, which uniquely qualify me to understand the plights of individuals entering the judicial system. These experiences have developed the grit and resilience required to be a fair and just Municipal Court Judge.

Immigrant—I immigrated to the United States (Redmond, Washington) from Mexico with my family at the age of 10. My first language was Spanish and I became fluent in English within a couple of years. I became a US citizen at the age of 22.

LGBTQ+—I am gay and have been married to my husband for the past 12 years.

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and Person of Color)—Latinx person born in Mexico and moved to the US at the age of 10.

English as Learned Language (ELL)—My first language was Spanish and became fluent in English within a couple of years of moving to United States.

Low Socioeconomic Status—Grew up in poverty in the US. Through the hard work of my family and myself, along with determination, I was able to progress through community college, 4-year university and law school.

Urban and Rural Living Experiences—Grew up in a small town in Mexico (Tecolatlan, Jalisco) and immigrated to Redmon, Washington. I have lived in Seattle, Chicago, and Tacoma.

Relatives with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder—Several of my close family members have struggled with mental health concerns and substance abuse issues, which gives me the unique insight to the struggles faced by many individuals in the justice system.

Husband is Family Physician—I have been with my husband as he progressed through medical school, family medicine residency and obstetrics fellowship. He’s been a local physician in Tacoma for 6 years. I have a strong understanding of the role medical and psychological illness play in individuals decision making processes when it comes to the legal system.