Updated at 1:59 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – After nearly 18 years on the bench, Lewis County Superior Court Judge Richard Brosey announced this morning he won’t be seeking re-election, and a local defense attorney who previously worked as a deputy prosecutor and before that as a federal law enforcement officer has declared her candidacy
Joely O’Rourke, 41, of Chehalis, said she’s excited to earn the opportunity to serve as a Superior Court judge.
“Judge Brosey’s commitment to Lewis County has been exemplary,” O’Rourke said in a news release this morning. “I’m looking forward to continuing the same dedication to public and judicial service he showed on the bench.”
[1]Joely O’Rourke
O’Rourke is currently in private practice, where she represents defendants at their first appearance on criminal charges in both Lewis County District Court and Lewis County Superior Court. She also serves as an attorney for the Lewis County Family Treatment Court where she represents parents in dependency actions.
The Edmonds native is a graduate of the University of Washington and Gonzaga University Law School.
From 2009 until October 2014, she worked at the Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as a deputy prosecutor in the criminal division. She says she successfully prosecuted those accused of violent offenses, specifically domestic violence assaults, sex offenses and crimes against children.
O’Rourke also served as the drug court prosecutor and was a member of a multi-disciplinary task force, a group tasked with preparing child sexual abuse cases for prosecution.
But before she was a lawyer, she was a special agent with NCIS.
Beginning in January 2003, O’Rourke investigated major crimes involving military installations ashore, abroad and afloat as a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
During her time as a special agent, O’Rourke also worked in counter-terrorism, where she was assigned as the Intelligence Liaison providing threat assessments to the commanding officer of Naval Base San Diego.
She served on the protection details for Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winters and also for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Pakistan.
In May 2008, O’Rourke traveled to Galway, Ireland to testify as the Investigating Special Agent in a trial against an international terrorist who threatened to kill President George W. Bush and attack several US aircraft carriers.
[2]Judge Richard Brosey
Lewis County has three superior court judges who preside over felony and high-money civil cases.
In mid-December, Judge Nelson Hunt let it be known he was not planning to run this fall for another term, and Adna resident Andrew Toynbee announced [3] he would seek election to the post.
Judge Brosey this morning stated he would complete his final four-year term, which ends in January.
The 67-year-old will have served as a Superior Court judicial officer for a total of 23 years.
Brosey said he’s always believed judges should serve the term for which they were elected and that they ought to retire before health or age dictates that they should.
“I will be 68 years old in December; it is time to spend more time with my wife and grandchildren and let someone else do this job,” he said in his announcement. “It has been a great honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Lewis County.”
The Lewis County native has presided over approximately 275 jury trials, including several of the largest and longest civil cases in county history, and has also handled numerous criminal cases, including multiple victim and “cold case” homicides.
Brosey served as the court’s first full-time court commissioner for four and a half years and was appointed July 1, 1998, by then-Gov. Gary Locke as the county’s third superior court judge after the state legislature created the position. He was elected that fall to retain the position and has subsequently been re-elected four times.
“My wife and I are looking forward to enjoying the slower pace of the next chapter of our lives,” Brosey stated.
O’Rourke resides in Chehalis with her husband, Shane O’Rourke, and their son.
Shane O’Rourke is also a local attorney and partner in the law firm of Buzzard O’Rourke in Centralia.
The O’Rourkes are actively involved in the community, including volunteering with the Chehalis School District, Chehalis Rotary, Chehalis Little League, East Lewis County Relay for Life, the Drug Court Give Back program and are both currently on the board of Lewis County Legal Aid.