Judge Removed After Forging Document for $10 Parking Discount

Washington state supreme court boots pro tem jurist over unusual breach

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:38pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a forged document with a judge's signature stamp, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conveying a stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic.A forged document used by a judge to unlawfully obtain a parking discount exposes a shocking breach of ethics.Seattle Today

A judge in Washington state has been removed from the bench after he forged a document to get a $10 parking break. The state's supreme court booted pro tem Judge David Ruzumna over the incident, in which he admitted creating a letter that bore an official seal and another judge's signature stamp to hand to a parking attendant.

Why it matters

The case highlights the high standards of conduct expected from judges, even those serving in temporary pro tem roles. The court emphasized that Ruzumna's actions, regardless of his intent, represented a serious breach of judgment that undermined public trust in the judiciary.

The details

As a pro tem judge, Ruzumna wasn't entitled to the $10 break off the usual $30 parking fee granted to King County employees at the county court, though he felt he should have been. Ruzumna admitted creating the forged letter, but claimed he submitted it as a joke to the attendant, though the court didn't buy his explanation.

  • The incident occurred in April 2026.

The players

David Ruzumna

A local attorney who had served as a judge pro tempore for about a decade before being removed from the list of pro tem judges by the Washington state supreme court.

Washington State Supreme Court

The state's highest court that booted pro tem Judge David Ruzumna over the parking discount forgery incident.

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What they’re saying

“I acknowledged my mistake immediately and tried to take responsibility for it. I respect the Court, but it got this one completely wrong.”

— David Ruzumna, Former Pro Tem Judge

“Whether Mr. Ruzumna was entitled to an employee discount or not was not the concern. The concern was the incredible lack of judgment in preparing this letter and affixing a judge's signature to it, and then passing it off as true to parking officials, (which) was shocking, to say the least.”

— Washington State Supreme Court Judge

The takeaway

This case underscores the high ethical standards expected of judges, even those serving in temporary pro tem roles. The Washington state supreme court's decision to remove Ruzumna from the bench sends a clear message that even minor breaches of conduct can have serious consequences for the integrity of the judicial system.