Sequim Gazette staff

The poll is in, and is the results are any indication, Clallam County attorneys want Chris Melly in, too.

The newest Clallam County Bar Association Poll rates attorney Christopher Melly highest in 10 categories, a 4.03 on a scale of 1-5.

Gov. Jay Inslee will appoint a new Clallam County Superior Court judge to fill the vacancy of retiring judge Brooke Taylor, and the deadline for candidates to turn in a bar association rating was Oct. 11.

Dave H. Neupert ranked second on the list at a 3.57 rating, followed by Cathy Marshall (3.53), John Troberg (3.39), John Hayden (3.23) and Loren Oakley (3.00).

Poll forms were distributed to 97 local attorneys, 38 of whom completed forms and returned them.

Derek G. Medina, president of the bar association, released the poll’s results in early October. The

“The biggest thing (with this rating) is, we didn’t even know how to do a bar rating for an appointee,” Medina said.

Inslee will appoint a judge for Taylor’s position by the end of the year, Medina said, adding, “I don’t know if this is going to help the governor or not.”

Participation in the bar association’s poll was limited to those attorneys who are current with association dues. The association uses membership fees to fund scholarships to local graduating high school students to support local education programs.