Pullman attorneys compete to be judge

Whitman County’s constituents will soon choose which Pullman attorney is best qualified to be the next Superior Court judge.

The position will open up when longtime Judge Gary Libey retires this year — he’s held the seat since being appointed in 2017. Jenna Brozik and Roger Sandberg are competing for the bench in the Nov. 5 general election.

Brozik, 56, started practicing law in 2010. She’s a private attorney that focuses on civil litigation, criminal and family law.

Early this year, she was sworn in as judge pro tem for Colfax Municipal Court. She’s also an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, a certified mediator and owner of the private law firm Prinz and Brozik PLLC since 2012.

She graduated with a bachelor’s in fine arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1992. Brozik received her juris doctorate from UI College of Law in 2011.

Sandberg, 44, has practiced law since 2008. He’s a private attorney, whose work includes criminal defense, family law and other civil matters.

Since 2010, he’s served as judge pro tem for Whitman County District Court. He was appointed as Superior Court commissioner last year. Sandberg also has experience as a professional mediator.

He graduated from Whitworth University in 2002 with a bachelor’s in economics. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law in 2006.

Sandberg said he’s running because the citizens of Whitman County deserve the most qualified candidate. He said people who appear before the court deserve nothing less than the most fit person hearing their case.

Brozik said she isn’t running against one candidate, but the establishment. She’s unhappy with current leadership, and has witnessed some not get the justice they deserve. She said she wants to make the judicial system better for people coming through it.

Her goals include getting civil cases through the court quickly and efficiently. She said some cases have stayed in the court for several years, and she plans to implement measures to either settle or dismiss cases within a year or two.

She also recognizes mediators can be expensive, and wants to establish a free, once a month mediation clinic for those who have trouble affording the requirement in family law cases.

Sandberg’s goal is to decide on cases that come before him as well as he can in an unbiased manner. He plans on being prepared for every case, listening to both sides equally and making rulings the best he can.

He said a judge is impartial and can’t be predisposed toward one side or the other, adding that patience and empathy go hand in hand. Sandberg recognizes each case deserves the appropriate amount of seriousness while taking the time to listen to everyone’s story.

To Brozik, being a judge means being honest, ethical and carefully considering both sides while following the law as it is written. She said they have a lot of discretion that can sometimes be abused, and it’s important to not legislate from the bench.

Sandberg said Whitman is a relatively small county in Washington but it still experiences the same problems seen across the state. He’s noticed fentanyl and methamphetamine have affected a significant amount of people in the past years.

He said these drugs are more addictive and deadlier than other substances. A robust treatment and aggressive policing are needed to address this issue.

Brozik has also seen an increase of drug cases and fentanyl deaths in Whitman County. She said it leads to a complex web of issues in people’s lives and more treatment opportunities are the answer.

Sandberg said he stands out as a candidate because of his broad range of experience, specifically having served in judicial roles for the past decade.

Brozik said her community service sets her apart from others — she has done pro bono cases, worked with the Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse and other organizations.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.