Supreme Court and Rep. Jamila Taylor launch court‑unification task force to tackle access disparities

Chief Justice Deborah Stevens and Representative Jamila Taylor opened the task force's organizational meeting and set an 18‑month timetable to study how Washington’s fragmented court system affects access to justice. "I'm Deborah Stevens. I'm, the chief justice of the Washington State Supreme Court and cochair of this task force," Stevens said as she welcomed an array of judges, clerks, public‑defense officials and community advocates.

Taylor said the group's charge is to examine resource allocation and geographic disparities and to recommend practical, achievable reforms. "Broadly speaking, the vision of the court unification task force is to address issues around resource allocation, access to justice, [and] justice by geography," Rep. Taylor said, urging open discussion about where consistent statewide standards could improve outcomes while preserving appropriate local discretion.

The co‑chairs framed the work as primarily research and information gathering: collecting data, reviewing rules and identifying small legislative requests to fund analysis. Stevens noted the Supreme Court's authority over court rules and the Administrative Office of the Courts’ (AOC) role in technology and targeted reimbursements as starting points for inquiry. Leaders said they will collate proposed subcommittees and invite task‑force members and outside experts to join those working groups.

The task force set its next full meeting for December 15 at the Temple of Justice and will circulate the roster and subcommittee sign‑up instructions beforehand.