Wallace, Gwinn named Grant County District Court judges

EPHRATA — Ephrata attorneys Brian Gwinn and Nick Wallace were selected Monday by Grant County Commissioners as the two new Grant County District Court judges to fill two open positions.

Gwinn replaces Tyson Hill, who was named to an open position on the Grant County Superior Court. Gwinn will start as soon as possible.

Wallace will replace Janis Whitener-Moberg, who announced in May she would retire effective Aug. 31. Wallace will start Sept. 1.

Since district court judgeships are elected offices, both positions will be on the ballot in November 2022.

“This (becoming a judge) has been a goal of mine,” Gwinn said.

He also said he believes it’s an ultimate goal for any attorney to be a judge.

“I’m excited for this new legal experience,” he said.

Gwinn has worked as an attorney for 21 years. He started in private practice in Spokane, he said, before he came to Grant County and worked as a contracted public defender, which meant he also took clients in private practice. In 2013, he became a Grant County public defender full time.

Wallace has 25 years’ experience as an attorney, all in private practice. Because he doesn’t specialize, he’s got experience in most areas of the law, he said.

“I’ve handled everything from A to Z, adoption to zoning,” he said.

That extensive experience is good training for being a judge, he said. One of his mentors, former superior court judge Evan Sperline, told Wallace he would make a good judge, and that was part of his motivation for applying for the position, he said.

Five people applied for the jobs.

“We had a really, really good list (of candidates),” said Grant County Commissioner Cindy Carter.