State Rep. Sherry Appleton was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee this week to a seat on the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

Appleton, a Poulsbo Democrat and 23rd District lawmaker, will serve a four-year term that starts June 17.

This marks Appleton’s third term as a member of the Commission on Judicial Conduct.

She was named to the commission in 1995 by outgoing Gov. Mike Lowry, and was reappointed by his successor, Gov. Gary Locke, and served a total of eight years in her first stint.

“I’m honored that Gov. Inslee selected me for this position and I look forward to serving once more on the Commission on Judicial Conduct,” Appleton said.

The commission is responsible for investigating allegations of judicial misconduct.

Commissioners “work to protect the integrity of the judicial process and promote public confidence in the courts. They also serve to improve and strengthen the judiciary by creating in judges a greater awareness of proper judicial behavior,” according to the commission’s web site.

Appleton said the commission serves a vital role.

“The effectiveness of our justice system depends to a great extent on the trust that citizens place in the men and women on the bench.  Fortunately, that trust is justified most of the time, and our job as commissioners is to make sure of that,” she said.

Appleton is currently in her fifth term. She also serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Community Development, Housing, and Tribal Affairs, and is a member of the House Public Safety and Capital Budget panels.  She was appointed by Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton to serve on the Washington State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and remains a member of the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission and chair of the Commission’s Juvenile Sentencing Committee.