Jonathon Lack

Jonathan Lack is not only the worst commissioner in Washington State, but the WORST commissioner in the country. I feel compelled to share my experience with Commissioner Jonathan Lack to warn others about his concerning judicial conduct. In my case involving a protection order, Commissioner Lack demonstrated a troubling disregard for proper judicial procedure and evidence. During my hearing, he hastily approved a protection order without properly reviewing the evidence presented. When clear evidence was later presented disproving the allegations, Commissioner Lack maintained his initial ruling rather than acknowledging the error. This decision was later reversed by Judge Jason Holloway, who properly reviewed the evidence and dismissed the protection order. The consequences of Commissioner Lack's rushed and improper decision were significant. His actions resulted in my temporary loss of rights and required extensive time and resources to correct through the revision process. The emotional and financial toll of having to fight an improperly granted order was substantial. What I found most concerning was Commissioner Lack's apparent disinterest in reviewing evidence that contradicted his initial judgment. This pattern appears consistent with other reviews where litigants report similar experiences of having evidence dismissed without proper consideration. Based on my experience and the numerous similar accounts from others, I believe Commissioner Lack's conduct falls well below the standards we should expect from our judicial officers. His actions demonstrate a pattern of rushed judgments, disregard for proper evidence review, and resistance to correcting clear errors. I strongly encourage oversight authorities to review Commissioner Lack's fitness for this position. The community deserves judicial officers who will take the time to properly review evidence and follow appropriate legal procedures.

I recently had a hearing before Commissioner Lack regarding a Vulnerable Adult Protection Order for my mother. During this hearing, I was deeply concerned by his handling of the issue of disability. Specifically, when presented with the fact that my mother had been on state disability since 1992 due to fibromyalgia and severe PTSD, Commissioner Lack dismissed this by stating, "We must have two different meanings of disability." This statement was not only dismissive but also contradicted the State of Washington's own determination of my mother’s disability status. The state’s findings should hold legal and procedural weight in such a case, yet Commissioner Lack seemed to disregard established disability determinations without justification. Additionally, he claimed that my mother's ability to write a statement somehow proved she was not disabled. This assumption is problematic, as many individuals with disabilities—including those with chronic pain conditions and PTSD—may be capable of writing but still meet the legal and medical criteria for disability. The ability to put thoughts on paper does not negate the existence of serious, life-altering impairments. A Commissioner overseeing cases involving vulnerable adults should have a clear understanding of disability, including how state disability determinations work and the wide range of functional limitations disabilities can present. His remarks during my hearing raise concerns about his ability to fairly assess disability-related cases without bias. I hope that future hearings before Commissioner Lack will reflect a more informed and respectful approach toward individuals with disabilities and the legal determinations that define their status.

I recently had the unfortunate experience of dealing with Commissioner Jonathan Lack during my domestic violence case, and I feel compelled to share my thoughts. Initially, I faced a domestic violence restraining order initiated by my ex-wife, which was based on unfounded allegations. At our first hearing, a superior court judge listened carefully to the testimony and deemed my ex-wife's claims untrue, labeling her as a liar. This judge also recognized the importance of a thorough investigation, leading to an inquiry by Child Protective Services (CPS), which found no evidence of domestic violence. However, when the case was handed over to Commissioner Lack for the next hearing, everything changed dramatically. Despite the clear findings of the CPS report, he dismissed it as merely "a report" and claimed he had the discretion to rule independently of the evidence presented. His decision to approve the protection order not only ignored the facts but also had serious consequences for my life, including being added to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which prevents me from owning firearms. Fortunately, my lawyer promptly filed a revision with the court. In a welcome turn of events, the original superior court judge reviewed the case and reversed Commissioner Lack's ruling, reaffirming the findings of the investigation and restoring my rights. Retrieving my firearm proved to be an incredibly difficult process. When I requested its return, the King County Sheriff’s Office conducted a background check, which returned with the alarming result that I was a prohibited person. It took months of additional hearings before a superior court judge explicitly instructed the sheriff's office to return my firearm. Thankfully, it seemed that someone at the sheriff's office finally rectified the situation by removing my name from NICS, allowing me to reclaim my rights. In my opinion, Commissioner Lack demonstrated a concerning lack of regard

I can only rate his effectiveness in working up a Child Support worksheet. Was thorough and fact-based in preparing our Child Support order. Actually spent almost 2 hours in court crunching numbers. Comm. Lack must have been a corporate accountant in a prior life, because he did the complex calculations easily. He was a bit tempermental - didn't like context-switching, asked us to be quiet while he focused on his spreadsheet, but he plowed through taxes and all kinds of complex financials. I especially liked that he did not fall for the mother's BS claims that I "had to be earning hundreds of thousands of dollars" because I volunteered for a startup as "VP of innovation" (position in title only), or her claims I was a "Principal Engineeer" at Microsoft, even though I was only an "SDE II". He said he could only use what he could PROVE - and that was from actual tax returns. I'm unemployed, and did not like that he imputed me to a working salary, but he was impeccable in imputing me and the mother based on tax returns in a fair way. If you need someone who can crunch numbers like a CPA, and not be intimidated by stocks, capital gains, corporate earnings, salaries, etc., he's the guy you want on the bench.

Comment #: WA2189 <-- In addition to this comment. I was forced supervised and should never have been according to eventually the Chief Judge and even a psychiatrist. My ex husband's attorney J Patrick Quinn was ruthless. He stood there at trial and lied to the Judge stating I had a mental disorder. Thus the Judge ordering me supervised again. Even though I had a medical assessment I had no mental disorder. I was ordered to pay $6000 in attorney fees for being intransigent. Fighting to be in your child's life is NOT intransigent. I have not paid them to this date. I refuse. My ex husband got a protection order out and thus supervised again at a later date because I supposedly stalked his home and my daughter's school. I NEVER DID! He even accused me of abuse. NEVER. I have a long list of real harassment and stalking by my ex and his wife and this court would never give me a protection order. I was forced to pay a wealthy man child support for keeping my child from me. This was none other than a legal way to stalk me. I was labeled vexatious. I was not. This is a tactic in most courts to try to scare the other party into backing off. Because of this I was forced into court by email only. Yes you heard that right. Probably the only one ever. Denial of due process. After a year of this I wrote the Attorney general and strangely 3 days later this was removed. This court failed my daughter and myself and enabled and was complicit with my ex husbands selfish needs and abusive behavior. This court cost me a life with my daughter! Trust me to this day I have not given up trying and will until my last breath. For 20 years I have fought to be in her life. I wrote the AG, I went to the WA Supreme Court, what a joke. I wrote the DOJ in D.C. <--- all inconsistent with the lies they spew. It is in your best interest and your child to do what it takes to work together outside of family court. Be the better parent, bend and go to counseling instead of famil

To the Governor of Washington. It is disgusting how you let this commissioner continue on the bench all these years. Read all the below! This is Kim, I believe his first Thurston County case and I am back to tell you the life long consequences. A decade later my beautiful adult daughter is still not in my life because of this commissioner and former Judge Wickhams acts and a corrupt family law system. Oh and don't forget a severe case of parental alienation, of course facilitated by the corrupt courts. All for greed and money. It is disgusting. I urge all of you in this situation today get a very, very good attorney. You do not stand a chance at it alone no matter how well you can plead your case. All these bad acts do have lifelong sad consequences years later. I still try hard to this day and still hope and pray one day. At least a plus my family is in my daughter's life and I am in theirs (once I was not). God bless all of you that have to go in front of Washington's corrupt family court system.

I am in bad luck to have him to make decisions on my protection order because he knew it is domestic violence case and I had been suffering for years, he said to me in the hearing:" Ms liang, whole bunch of people said you got mental problem." He dismissed my protection order.THIS IS defamation and persecution from those kept accusing me behind me. The commissioners can't take these public opinion into my case because it's family law that didn't indicate that public opinion would be considered in divorce or DV case. He heard the gossips and brought the gossips to the testimony, THIS IS UNFAIR and INJUSTICE TO me as I am the victim as well known.Mr.Lack didn't look into the solid evidence, he paid attention on the gossips without basis.He just brought me into the worse situation that it is encourage those troublemakers became more aggressive and crazier. He is not professional and qualified to be in his position.

How he became a commissioner is Antibes guess. He ignores the law and uses his own interpretation. He was rude to litigants and attorneys alike. He seemed to genuinely hate his job and was angry he had to a lathe caseload.

He ignored all evidence my side presented. I showed how a child is living in a home full of dog poop and pee that has accumulated over 7 weeks along with small pieces of plastic that a 14 month can choke on. Based on previous ruling that I won and he totally changes the decision. He needs reprimanding, sanctioning and removal from the bench. I would rate him a zero if I could!