SPOKANE COUNTY, February 24, 2012 – The Gonzaga University School of Law Women’s Law Caucus has selected Spokane County District Court Judge Debra Hayes to be the recipient of the 20th annual Myra Bradwell Award.
Since its inception in 1993, this prestigious award has been presented annually to an outstanding alumna of Gonzaga’s School of Law who has championed women’s and children’s issues throughout their legal career.
The award is named in honor of Myra Bradwell, who overcame many obstacles—including the Illinois Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court—to become the first female attorney to practice in the United States.
Hayes, who currently serves as both Presiding and Mental Health Therapeutic Court Judge for the District Court, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gonzaga’s School of Law in 1999.
As Mental Health Therapeutic Court Manager, Sandy Manfred works closely with Judge Hayes and feels she’s an ideal choice for the award. “It’s inspiring how she balances both compassion and accountability as a Therapeutic Court Judge,” said Manfred. “She helps the court participants—and often their families—become healthy, contributing members of society.”
Before being elected to the District Court bench in 2006, Hayes served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, primarily in the Domestic Violence Unit. In addition, she was a member of Washington Women Lawyers, and served on the Washington State Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, the Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium, and the Washington State Commission on Family Violence.