Last week was one of pleasant surprises for state Rep. Sherry Appleton. It started with the news that Gov. Jay Inslee was appointing the veteran Democratic lawmaker from Poulsbo to the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct (CJC), and ended with her being named a 2013 Woman of Achievement by the YWCA of Kitsap County.
The CJC appointment signals an encore of sorts for Appleton. In 1995 she was named to the Commission by outgoing Gov. Mike Lowry, and was later reappointed by his successor, Gov. Gary Locke, serving a total of eight years in her first stint. According to the Commission’s website, the CJC “receive[s] and investigate[s] allegations of judicial misconduct.” Commissioners “work to protect the integrity of the judicial process and promote public confidence in the courts. They also serve to improve and strengthen the judiciary by creating in judges a greater awareness of proper judicial behavior.”
“I look forward to serving once more on the Commission on Judicial Conduct,” Appleton said, “and I’m honored that Gov. Inslee selected me for this position. The effectiveness of our justice system depends to a great extent on the trust that citizens place in the men and women on the bench. Fortunately, that trust is justified most of the time, and our job as commissioners is to make sure of that.”
Appleton, who is vice chair of the House Committee on Community Development, Housing, and Tribal Affairs, also serves on the House Public Safety panel. She was appointed by Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton to serve on the Washington State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and is currently a member of the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission and chair of the Commission’s Juvenile Sentencing Committee.
As pleased as she was with the CJC appointment, Appleton was even happier to learn that the YWCA of Kitsap County had selected her as a Woman of Achievement. She’ll be feted at an April 23 luncheon in Bremerton, along with 11 other honorees.
“For many reasons,” Appleton said, “this is one of the greatest honors I’ve received in my life. We all know the contributions the YWCA makes to the lives of girls and young women, and for them to offer me this title is something I’ll grateful for and proud of for a long time.”
“Sherry was a natural selection for this,” said Linda Joyce, executive director of the Kitsap YWCA. “She serves our communities in so many ways, with her dedication to children, families, veterans, women and public service. We’re honoring her and this year’s other Women of Achievement both for their own accomplishments, and as a reflection of the many contributions made by women throughout the county.”