Pierce County Superior Court Judge Frederick B. Hayes announced yesterday that he plans to retire July 12.
Hayes, 65, was appointed to the bench in February 1990 and ranks fifth in seniority among the court’s 21 judges.
Juvenile Court has been his passion, and “I hope I’ve made a contribution there.”
Following graduation from the University of Washington School of Law in 1961, Hayes served as a state assistant attorney general and tried cases in many of Washington’s 39 counties.
He served as Pierce County’s chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney from 1967 until 1970 when he started a private law practice in Tacoma that continued until his appointment as judge 20 years later.
Hayes plans to take the summer off and spend time with his wife at their place on Hood Canal, “digging clams, catching crabs and fish and reading books, all of which have been delayed for too long. There are a lot of lawyers younger and more energetic than I who want to be a judge, and one of them should be given a chance,” he said.
His future plans include working for the Judicial Mediation and Arbitration Service (JAMS).