POULSBO — Two distinguished judges will be the guest speakers at the League of Women Voters of Kitsap’s next public meeting, noon to 1:30 p.m. April 15 at Poulsbo City Hall.

Kitsap County District Court Judge Marilyn Paja and retired Judge Robin Hunt of the Washington State Court of Appeals will discuss the election of judges and judicial neutrality.

Judges are expected to be fair and impartial, but can they maintain impartiality in an era in which large sums of money may be donated to elect or defeat a candidate? What, if anything, can be done to curb the influence of special interest money in judicial elections? And how can voters get reliable information when deciding which judicial candidate to support?

Paja has served as an elected District Court judge in Kitsap County for 14 years and for another 14 years as the presiding judge of the Gig Harbor Municipal Court. She practiced criminal and personal injury law in Tacoma and owned her own practice in Port Orchard from 1982 until her election in 1998. She grew up on a working farm in Oregon and put herself through Willamette University and University of Puget Sound Law School by working at various jobs.

Paja was named Outstanding Judge of the Year by her colleagues in 2010. She taught at the People’s Law School, is a frequent speaker at community events, and enjoys being a school and community volunteer.

Hunt was elected to the Court of Appeals in 1996 and was re-elected in 2002 and 2008. Prior to her election, she was in private practice in Alaska and Seattle and worked in the King County Prosecutor’s Office in the criminal division. She served as Bainbridge Island Municipal Court judge pro tem and as hearing examiner adjudicating local land-use issues and administrative appeals.

Born in Massachusetts, Hunt is a graduate of Smith College and of Wayne State University Law School. She has been active in local schools and enjoys performing with the Bainbridge Chorale and local community theater.

The program is free and open to the public. Info: Sharon Shrader, 360-373-9608 or sharonshrader@comcast.net.