Pacific County Superior Court
JUDGE DONALD J. RICHTER
Pacific County has one elected Superior Court Judge, who also serves as the Superior Court Judge in Wahkiakum County. Donald J. Richter was appointed in January 2019 by Governor Inslee to replace the elected Judge Douglas Goelz, who retired at the end of 2018.
Education: Arkansas State University, BFA 1999; Gonzaga University, JD cum laude 2007
Legal/Judicial Experience: Intern for Spokane County Prosecutor 2005-2006; Rule 9 Legal Intern Private Practice, involving criminal defense as well as family law in Spokane 2006-2007; Solo Practitioner in private practice emphasizing criminal defense in Spokane County 2007-2014; Senior Deputy Prosecutor for Pacific County 2014-2017, Deputy Prosecutor for Cowlitz County 2017, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Pacific County 2018.
This court has jurisdiction and hears:
Serious criminal matters (felonies)
Civil cases, including cases involving, but not limited to real property, contracts, and more
Domestic relations (family law) matters
Appeals from lower Courts (District and Municipal Courts)
Appeals from state administrative agencies
Superior Court also has jurisdiction in adoption, probate, dependency, juvenile, and competency cases.
Pacific County Superior Court Administration
The Office of the Superior Court Administrator performs the executive functions to enable the judges to focus on the adjudication of cases.
The Superior Court Judge does not have Judicial Assistants; therefore, contact with Judges must go through the Court Administrator. Court Administrators do not give legal advice.
The Administrator handles all the fiscal and logistical needs of the courts. The office provides access to several services in connection with the administration of justice, such as:
Public Defenders Contracts
Guardian ad Litem Services
Drug Testing Information
Parenting Classes
Mediation Services
Settlement Conferences
Rikki Thompson, Court Administrator, ext. 2, rthompson@co.pacific.wa.us
Traci Amundson, Assistant Court Administrator/Court Facilitator, ext. 3, tamundson@co.pacific.wa.us (currently out on leave)
Court Administrator
RIKKI
Bio here.Meet the Court Administrators
Assistant Court Administrator/Facilitator
TRACI
Bio here.
Assistant Court Administrator
PENDING
Bio here.