JACQUELINE L. JESKE

Former King County Superior Court Commissioner
Former Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Former Public Defender

Jacqueline Jeske served the public of King County as a King County Superior Court Commissioner for close to a decade and began working as a pro tempore Family Law Commissioner for the Court in 1997 until she was appointed as a full time Commissioner in 2008.  She was privileged to serve the families and youth of King County in both family and juvenile court rotations.  Prior to that time, she was employed as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Family Support Unit, and also served in the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a combined total of sixteen years. 

Jeske began her legal career as a Public Defender in East King County and worked as an interpreter for the Public Defender’s Office in San Jose, California until she obtained her license to practice law.  She was in private family and criminal law practice for six years.  She has engaged in appellate work throughout her career and has argued successfully before the Washington State Supreme Court. She has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving access to justice and volunteered for a variety of nonprofit organizations.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

J.D., University of Washington Law School, Seattle, WA 1983-1986

Dual B.A. Degrees, International Studies and the Spanish Language, U.C. Davis, Davis, CA 1979-1983

Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution – Family Law Mediation Training, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA 2017

LANGUAGES:

Proficient in Spoken and Written Spanish
Proficient in Spoken and Written French

JUDICIAL:

King County Superior Court, 1997-2016

LEGAL:

Public Defender, 1985-1988

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, 1988-1991, 1995-2008 (Senior)

Private Practice, 1985-1988, 1991-1995

JUDICIAL COMMITTEE SERVICE:

2016 King County Interpreter Committee – Implemented and sourced language kiosks to be placed in the courthouse lobbies for non-English speaking members of the public to access court and legal services.

2015 King County Superior Court Strategic Agenda Committee on Trauma

2013 to 2016 Center for Children and Youth Justice (CCYJ) – ARY/CHINS Committee

2012 to 2016 Washington State Becca Taskforce

2012 to 2016 Superior Court Judge’s Association – Family and Juvenile Law Legislative Committee.

2012 Washington Supreme Court Commission – Co-Author/Member – “Washington State Best Practice Report for Children in Foster Care.”

2010 Washington Supreme Court Commission – Co-Author/Member – “Meaningful Representation Report for Children and Youth in Washington’s Foster Care System.”

2009 to 2016 King County Superior Court Interpreter Committee

2008 to 2012 King County Superior Court Unified Family Court Committee

2008 to 2016 King County Superior Court DV and Child Maltreatment Committee

2008 to 2015 Superior Court Judge’s Association – Family and Juvenile Law Committee

JUDICIAL PUBLICATIONS AND SEMINARS:

2019 Basic Skills Seminar – Author/Co-Presenter with Commissioners Peterson and Stam – “Motions Dos & Don’ts.” 

2018 WA AFCC 7th Conference – Co-Presenter Panel with Judge Ann Hirsch and Judge Helen Halpert – “Fractured Families, Fresh Solutions – View from the Bench.” 

2016 University of Washington – Seattle Youth and Law Forum – Author/Presenter – “Youth Homelessness and the Truancy Connection.”

2015 University of Washington – Youth Law Symposium – Co-Presenter – “Emerging Issues in Juvenile Law.”

2015 King County – Co-Author – “Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Coordinated Response Guidelines.”

2014 CCYJ – Author/Presenter – “Becca Bill Revisited.”

2014 CCYJ – Co-Author/Co-Editor – “Washington State Truancy Bench Book.”

2014 Seattle University School of Law – Author/Presenter – “Domestic Violence and the LGBTQ Community.”

2013 Shoreline Community College – Author/Presenter – “Juvenile Law Trends.”

2013 KCBA – Presenter – “Family Law Hot Topics.”

2012 to 2014 King County CASA – Author/Presenter – “Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Casa Guardian Ad Litem.”

2012 WSBA – Author/Presenter – “Tips from the Bench.” 

2011 AOC – Author/Presenter – “Washington State’s Service Member’s Civil Relief Act & Parenting Plans.”

2011 NBI – Author/Co-Presenter – “What Family Court Judicial Officers Want You To Know.”

2011 Seattle University Law School 4th Annual DV Symposium – Co-Author/Presenter with Judge Joan DuBuque – “Focus on Children: Perspectives in the Family Law and Juvenile Court Systems.”

PUBLIC SERVICE:

2021 Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) – Family Law Section Executive Committee, Chair

2018 – 2024 WSBA Family Law Executive Committee

2018 – 2020 Northwest Immigrants Rights Project (Child Unit) – Consulting Services

2006 to 2008 Volunteer Attorney – Northwest Justice Project Cross Cultural Family Law Clinic 

2005 to 2008 Member – Northwest Women’s Law Center Legislative Committee

2005 to 2008 Volunteer Attorney – Angeline’s YMCA Women’s Shelter

2005 to 2006 Member – KCBA Family Law Legislative Committee

2005 to 2006 Member – KCBA Child Support Guidelines Review Committee

1998 President – Eastside Legal Assistance Program

1996 to 1997 Co-Chair – Family Law Liaison Committee of KCBA Family Law Section

1995 to 1997 Volunteer Attorney – New Beginnings Legal Clinic

1994 to 1995 Volunteer Attorney – Northwest Women’s Law Center

1993 to 1996 Crisis Clinic Instructor – Eastside Domestic Violence Program

1990 to 1995 Volunteer Attorney – Eastside Legal Assistance Program

1990 to 1992 Volunteer – Catholic Community Services

PUBLICATIONS AND SEMINARS:

2024 WSBA Journal article – “Washington’s New Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act,” Co-Author with Cheryl Russell and Christopher Fox.

2024 WSBA Family Law Mid-Year – Co-Presenter with Commissioners Solomon Kim and Johnathan Lack – “Flipping the Table: From Litigator to Neutral.”

2023 WSBA CLE – Author/Presenter – “What You Need To Know – Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act.”

2022 WSBA Washington Family Law Deskbook (3rd edition) – Author of Chapter 56, “Adjudicative Methods of Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Med-Arb, and Settlement Options.”

2019 WSBA Family Law Mid-Year – Author/Co-Presenter – “Mediation-Arbitration.” 

2019 WSBA Family Law Mid-Year – Author/Co-Presenter – “Trauma Informed Advocacy for the Family Law Practitioner.” 

2018 WSBA Annual Fall Family Law CLE – Author/Presenter – “Possible Relocation Act Changes.”

2005 WSBA Seminar – Co-Author/Presenter  – “Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA).”

2002 El Centro de la Raza CLE – Author/Presenter – “Third Party Custodians and Current Legal Trends.”

2001 WAPA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Establishment of Paternity in Dependency Cases.”

1999 WAPA CLE – Author/Presenter – “The Non-Parent Guardian or Third-Party Custodian in Paternity Cases.”

1999 WSBA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Collecting Child Support and Enforcing Interstate Order.”

1997 WAPA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Child Support Deviations – An Overview and Update.”

1996 KCBA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Working with the State in Your AFDC Case.”

1996 KCBA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Criminal and Civil Ramifications of Child Abuse.”

1996 KCBA Family Law Institute – Author/Presenter/Co-Chair – “Parenting Plan Issues.” 

1995 KCBA Family Law Institute – Author/Presenter – “How to Handle Allegations of Abuse in Cases Involving Children.”

1995 WSTA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Domestic Violence: An Overview.”

1995 WSPA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Child Support – To Deviate or Not to Deviate.”

1994 KCBA Family Law Institute – Midyear CLE Author/Presenter/Co-Chair – “Domestic Violence: A Practical Approach for the Practitioner: Protect Your Client – Protect Yourself.”

1994 WSBA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Maintenance Issues.”

1993 Washington Family Support Council CLE – Author/Presenter – “Child Support Deviations.”

1993 WSPA CLE – Author/Presenter – “Domestic Law: The Family Law Team and Current Trends.”

1993 WSTLA CLE – Author/Presenter – “The Attorney-Paralegal Team: The Key to a Successful Practice.”

1993 KCBA CLE – Author/Presenter – “The Chaos of Divorce – Domestic Violence: An Overview.”

AWARDS:

2011 Co-Recipient of the Betty Fletcher Judge of the Year Award – Washington Women Lawyers King County Chapter

2004 King County Bar Association Pro Bono Award (firm)

1994 Volunteer Attorney of the Year Award – Eastside Legal Assistance Program