Michael Finkle

Biography

Judge Michael Finkle spent the first four years of his legal career as a business lawyer in a medium size firm. He handled mostly business transactions, with some civil litigation. He entered public service in 1986, as a Deputy City Attorney in the Criminal and Special Operations Divisions of LA City Attorney's Office. His duties included trying criminal cases, handling writs and appeals, and working on a large-scale civil unfair business practice matter

In 1990, Judge Finkle became an Assistant City Attorney Supervisor in the Criminal Division of the Seattle City Attorney's Office; his duties included supervising high profile or complex criminal prosecution matters, supervising Mental Health Court prosecutions, working on local, regional and statewide policy matters, and other special projects. The King County Council unanimously appointed Judge Finkle to the King County District Court bench in February, 2010.

Judge Finkle has been an Adjunct Faculty member with Seattle University School of Law, since 1998, and a member of the faculty for the National Judicial College. Judge Finkle taught Trial Advocacy for the State Bar from 1991-2000, and received a special recognition award from the Bar in 1997. He is a Past President (2000) and Board Member of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA). In 2010 he received WSAMA's Ernest H. Campbell Award for sustained excellence in the practice of municipal law, and in 2003 he received its inaugural "Outstanding Service Award."

Judge Finkle numerous publications to his name. In 2009 he served as lead author on an article published nationally in Behavioral Sciences and the Law, relating to criminal competency to stand trial. In 2007 Judge Finkle published a chapter on criminal commitment based on mental illness in the Washington Health Law Manual (3rd ed.). In 2006 he published an article on competency to stand trial in the Seattle Journal of Social Justice. Judge Finkle served as the Chief Author of the Limited Jurisdiction chapter of Washington Lawyers Practice Manual, published by King County Bar Association (2002-2004), and served as an editor and contributing author to the Ethics Primer for Government Lawyers, published in 1998 and revised in 2010 by WSAMA.