King County Superior Court Explained

Court Name:King County Superior Court
Imagesize2:200px
Established:1889
Jurisdiction:Washington
King County
Location:King County
Type:Non-partisan election
Authority:Constitution of Washington
Appealsto:Washington Court of Appeals
Appealsfrom:King County District Court
Positions:62 judges
Chiefjudgetitle:Presiding Judge (King County Courthouse)
Chiefjudgename:Patrick Oishi
Chiefjudgetitle2:Chief Judge (Maleng Regional Justice Center)
Chiefjudgename2:Ketu Shah

The Superior Court of Washington for King County (more commonly, the King County Superior Court) is the largest trial court in Washington state. It is based at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, in downtown Seattle, Washington. It also operates a juvenile facility and a Regional Justice Center in Kent, southeast of Seattle.

The court has (as of November 2018) 53 judges who have general jurisdiction to hear major civil and criminal cases. The court also has appellate jurisdiction over certain decisions of the district courts, municipal courts, and administrative tribunals.[1]

Current judges

!!Name!Assumed office!Current term end!Appointed by!Law school
Judges
Presiding JudgePatrick OishiJanuary 2011January 13, 2025Christine Gregoire (D)Seattle University
Asst. Presiding JudgeMary E. RobertsJanuary 2003January 13, 2025Gary Locke (D)University of Washington
Chief Civil Court JudgeTanya ThorpApril 1, 2014January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Seattle University
Chief Criminal Court Judge (Seattle)Karen DonohueMarch 2018January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Seattle University
Chief Criminal Court Judge (Kent)Ketu ShahMay 10, 2019January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)University of Minnesota
Chief Unified Family Court JudgeSean O'DonnellJanuary 2013January 13, 2025ElectedSeattle University
Chief Juvenile Court JudgeAveril RothrockOctober 28, 2018January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)Willamette University
Asst. Chief Criminal Court JudgeJohanna BenderNovember 2, 2015January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeChad AllredMay 12, 2014January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Texas
JudgeSusan AminiMay 13, 2013January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Maryland
JudgeKristin BallingerDecember 22, 2021January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Columbia University
JudgeElizabeth J. BernsJanuary 2013January 13, 2025ElectedSeattle University
JudgeRegina CahanOctober 1, 2008January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Wisconsin
JudgeSamuel ChungMay 27, 2014January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)George Washington University
JudgeAndrea DarvasJanuary 2004January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Michigan
JudgeJ. Michael DiazJanuary 2018January 13, 2023Jay Inslee (D)Cornell University
JudgeMarshall Ferguson2018January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeVeronica GalvánDecember 19, 2014January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeJulia GarrattJuly 2013January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Gonzaga University
JudgeJanet HelsonMarch 11, 2015January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of California, Berkeley
JudgeJason HollowayFebruary 18, 2022January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Willamette University
JudgeDavid KeenanJanuary 2017January 13, 2025ElectedSeattle University
JudgeMatt LapinApril 30, 2022January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Miami
JudgeNelson K.H. LeeFebruary 18, 2020January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Pepperdine University
JudgeHillary MadsenJanuary 11, 2021January 13, 2025ElectedSeattle University
Judge Adrienne McCoyOctober 1, 2021January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeLeRoy McCulloughJanuary, 1989January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Washington
JudgeBrian McDonaldAugust 2019January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Michigan
JudgeJohn McHaleJanuary 9, 2017January 13, 2025ElectedSeattle University
JudgeMaureen McKeeAugust 23, 2018January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Cornell University
JudgeAnnette MessittJanuary 8, 2019January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)DePaul University
JudgeDouglass NorthOctober 9, 2000January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Washington
JudgeSuzanne ParisienJanuary 10, 2013January 13, 2025ElectedVillanova University
JudgeNicole Gaines PhelpsJanuary 9, 2017January 13, 2025Elected
JudgeCindi PortApril 2020January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Gonzaga University
JudgeJason PoydrasJuly 8, 2021January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Seattle University
JudgeMafé Rajul2018January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeJudith RamseyerJanuary 2012January 13, 2025ElectedSeattle University
JudgeKristin RichardsonNovember 8, 2016January 13, 2025ElectedWillamette University
JudgeAndrea RobertsonDecember 31, 2020January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeJim RogersJanuary 2005January 13, 2025ElectedGeorgetown University
JudgeSteve RosenJanuary 9, 2017January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Minnesota
JudgeJohn RuhlApril 1, 2014January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Notre Dame
JudgeMichael K. RyanJanuary 10, 2019January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)Georgetown University
JudgeKen SchubertJanuary 14, 2013January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Washington
JudgeMichael Scott2018January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)Stanford University
JudgeMatthew J. SegalJuly 9, 2021January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Seattle University
JudgeCatherine ShafferNovember 2000January 13, 2025ElectedColumbia University
JudgeAimee SuttonFebruary 10, 2019January 13, 2024ElectedUniversity of Washington
JudgeHaydee VargasMarch 21, 2022January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)Seattle University
JudgeDavid WhedbeeSeptember 16, 2019January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeSandra WidlanApril 2, 2018January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)New York University
JudgeJosephine Wiggs-MartinMarch 2019January 13, 2024Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
JudgeMatthew Williams January 9, 2017January 13, 2025ElectedUniversity of Nebraska
JudgeMelinda YoungJanuary 2, 2019January 13, 2025Jay Inslee (D)University of Washington
CommissionerShannon Gould---Seattle University
CommissionerMark Hillman---Seattle University
CommissionerHollis Holman---
CommissionerMelinda Taylor Johnson---Seattle University
CommissionerHenry Judson---Lewis & Clark College
CommissionerJonathon LackJune 17, 2019 --University of Richmond School of Law
CommissionerJennie Laird---Seattle University
CommissionerBradford Moore---Seattle University
CommissionerNicole Wager----

Notable judges

External links

Notes and References

  1. See generally Ch. 2.08 RCW.