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Omak Municipal Judge Henry “Hank” Rawson formally announced his candidacy for the Okanogan County District Court Judge (Position 2) currently held by the Honorable Judge David S. Edwards who plans to retire at the end of this year.
Rawson is a resident of Okanogan, has a private law practice and has served as Omak’s Municipal Judge since appointment in 2002 by the late Mayor Dale Sparber. He currently serves under the appointment of Mayor Cindy Gagne. He is a 2003 graduate of Washington State’s Judicial College and a member of the Washington State District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association. Rawson has also held judicial positions as the Okanogan City Municipal Judge from 1988 to 1997 under appointments by Mayors Charles Williams and Eloise Schreckengost. Also he was appointed Municipal Judge for the Town of Riverside by then Mayor Dave Schwilke in 2000 and served until the town eliminated the position.
Judge Rawson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Public Accounting from Gonzaga University. He received his Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University in 1975. He commenced his legal career with trial attorney, Kelly Hancock of Omak, and the firm soon became the law firm of Hancock, Rawson and Sloan with the addition of R. John Sloan. After eleven and half years with Kelly Hancock, Rawson commenced his own firm at Okanogan in 1987 through the present. He had a brief partnership with Richard Weber in 1989-90. He has had extensive trial experience during the course of his legal career including criminal and civil trials. Rawson currently is registered with the Okanogan County Superior Court as a Guardian Ad Litem for Domestic/Family and Estate/Guardianships matters under specialized training and requirements. He is a member in good-standing with the Washington State Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington (Federal) and the Colville Tribal Court (Colville Confederated Tribes)
Rawson has given extensive volunteer commitments to numerous organizations and has served on many committees and boards including Okanogan Valley Orchestra and Chorus, North Cascades Red Cross, and Okanogan Dugout Club. He has served Our Lady of the Valley and St. Joseph’s/St. Mary’s Mission churches in many ministries and is active in Cursillo. Hank is a member of Eagles Aerie 3004 Okanogan. Most notably Rawson has been a member of the Okanogan-Omak Rotary Club (30+years), is a Paul Harris Fellow, and is the only member to have served as Club President twice. He served the Boy Scouts of America as Okanogan Valley District Chairman for over nine years, trekked at Philmont Scout Ranch, honored with the District’s “GOOD SCOUT” award in 2004 and received the National BSA’s SILVER BEAVER award. He has served as President of the Okanogan Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Okanogan Valley Football Officials Association and has served as President for two terms. During basketball season, he is “the voice” of the Okanogan Bulldogs—introducing lineups. Rawson is only one of three persons honored by the Okanogan Volunteer Fire Department as a Professional Service Member (an honorary membership) and the others were William “Bill” Barnes and Dr. Louis Dewey.
“I would be honored to serve the citizens of Okanogan County as their District Court Judge. I am committed to faithfully discharging the duties of District Court Judge:
1) I will administer the law as it is handed down and not as I would like it to be.
2) I will render judgments free from favoritism, politics, or undue influence. I will make decisions as the law and the facts require, even when the result may be unpopular, or politically inopportune.
3) I will always be aware of the importance of each case to its participants, and will make every effort to give each case the necessary time, energy and attention.
4) I will be certain that I fully understand the applicable law and unique facts of each case before making a ruling.
5) I will respect the rights and dignity of all the people before the Court in every capacity (as accused, witness, victim, juror, court personnel, or counsel) and remain mindful that the judge serves the public, not the other way around.
My strengths are my experience, my knowledge, my community values, my family values, my common sense and my fairness.”
Rawson and his wife, Cathy, who is a certified diabetic education and holds a master degree in Nursing Education from St. Joseph’s College of Standish, Maine, are the parents of four children: Sgt. Tim Rawson, currently serving in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany, and holds a masters degree in History with an emphasis on Research and Intelligence from Mercyhurst College of Erie, PA; Danielle Rawson, CRNA currently a nurse anesthetist at Oregon Health Sciences in Portland, Or and holds degrees from Whitworth University and Penn University; Stephen Rawson, currently serving in the U.S. Navy, stationed at Lemoore Naval Air Station in Lemoore, CA and hold a biology degree from Washington State University; and Ashley Rawson, currently exploring/traveling in South America and holds a Business Administration degree from Gonzaga University. Hank is a 1967 graduate of Okanogan High School and returned with Catherine to the Okanogan Valley to establish their family and engage in their respective professions.
© Copyright 2006 by North Cascades Broadcasting, Inc
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