Attorney, judge pro tem running for District Court

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 14, 2026

SEQUIM — A local attorney and longtime judge pro tem plans to run for the District Court 1 judge position.

Alexandrea “Alex” Schodowski announced last week that she will run for the position from which Judge David Neupert is retiring.

“I care about the job and it’s one I have been doing,” Schodowski said. “With (Neupert’s) blessing, this seemed like the best time to do it.”

Schodowski has been an attorney for 15 years and has been working as the judge pro tem, filling in for Neupert when he is sick or on vacation, since 2016.

“In District Court 1, there’s only one judge, and we handle traffic tickets, small claims cases, civil matters and misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal cases,” Schodowski said. “We also have hearings to petition for protection orders.”

As the judge pro tem, Schodowski has handled all of those cases, she said.

“There have been times where I filled in for two full weeks at a time, so I’m familiar with all of those calendars because they rotate,” she said.

Schodowski grew up in Kentucky and went to Western Michigan University and then Cooley Law School. She met her husband, Joe, while in college, and he is from Port Townsend. Together, the couple runs Schodowski Law Inc. PS in Port Townsend.

Being a judge wasn’t originally part of Schodowski’s plan, she said.

“I have been fortunate enough that I started out as a prosecutor and got to know the attorneys and judges here,” she said. “It was Judge Neupert’s predecessor who first had me as his pro tem, and I got more into it and I felt like I became a better practicing attorney because, as a judge, I could see what kind of information I wanted to hear and how it should be presented.”

From that experience, Schodowski said she fell in love with being a judge.

“Everyone who comes to court wants a judge that cares, one that can do the job, that knows the job but also really cares about it and takes pride in making people feel like they’ve been heard,” she said.

Neupert has endorsed Schodowski for the position.

“As a pro tem judge, Alex Schodowski has earned my trust to step into my courtroom and handle matters with fairness, preparation and integrity,” Neupert said in a news release.

“That is not a responsibility I take lightly,” Neupert said. “I am confident the people of Clallam County can trust her to serve as their next District Court judge.”

Schodowski began her legal career as a Clallam County deputy prosecuting attorney, according to the news release. During that time, she handled thousands of cases and developed a specialized experience in DUI prosecution, violent crimes and forensic interviewing.

As a District Court judge, Schodowski said her priorities would be to provide fair and impartial justice, make courtrooms accessible, ensure community safety, provide efficient case management and continue proven programs such as the Mental Health Court and Veterans Court, according to her campaign website at alexschodowski.com.

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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.