Washington Supreme Court
Encyclopedia
The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court
in the judiciary
of the U.S. state
of Washington. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Justices. Members of the Court are elected to six-year terms. Justices must retire at the age of 75.
The court convenes in the Temple of Justice, a historic building on the Washington State Capitol
campus in Olympia, Washington
.
The persuasiveness of the Court's decisions reaches far beyond Washington's borders. A Supreme Court of California
study published in 2007 found that the Washington Supreme Court's decisions were the second most widely followed by the appellate courts of all other U.S. state
s in the period from 1940 to 2005 (second only to California).
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
in the judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Justices. Members of the Court are elected to six-year terms. Justices must retire at the age of 75.
The court convenes in the Temple of Justice, a historic building on the Washington State Capitol
Washington State Capitol
The Washington State Capitol or Legislative Building in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains chambers for the Washington State Legislature and offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer and is part of a campus consisting...
campus in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
.
The persuasiveness of the Court's decisions reaches far beyond Washington's borders. A Supreme Court of California
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
study published in 2007 found that the Washington Supreme Court's decisions were the second most widely followed by the appellate courts of all other U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s in the period from 1940 to 2005 (second only to California).
Current Justices and links to official biographies
- Gerry L. AlexanderGerry L. AlexanderGerry L. Alexander was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Washington. He was elected to the court in 1994 and re-elected in 2000. Following this election, his colleagues elected him to a four-year term as chief justice. He was re-elected as chief justice in 2004 and...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=alexander - Tom ChambersTom Chambers (judge)Tom Chambers is an Associate Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. He was elected to the court in 2000 and re-elected in 2006. Many Washington judges endorsed Tom in his 2006 re-election campaign He maintains a website and blogs from time to time. http://www.tomchambers.com/...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=chambers - Mary FairhurstMary FairhurstJustice Mary E. Fairhurst of Olympia, Washington has been a member of the Washington State Supreme Court since her election in 2002. She won her re-election in 2008 against Michael J. Bond....
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=Fairhurst - Charles W. Johnson http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=johnson
- James M. JohnsonJames M. JohnsonJustice Johnson was first elected to the Washington State Supreme Court in 2004. He is a life-long Washingtonian, born in Seattle and attending Ingraham High School. Justice Johnson graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in economics and obtained his J.D...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=jmJohnson - Barbara MadsenBarbara MadsenBarbara Madsen is the Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court. She was elected to the court in 1992 as the first woman to be popularly elected to the Court in Washington state history. She was re-elected in 1998 and 2004...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=madsen (Chief Justice) - Susan OwensSusan OwensSusan Owens is an Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court. On November 7, 2000, she was elected the seventh woman to serve on the court. She joined the court after serving nineteen years as District Court Judge in Western Clallam County, where she was the county's senior elected official...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=owens - Charles K. WigginsCharles K. WigginsCharles K. Wiggins is a member of the Washington Supreme Court. He was elected to the court in 2010, defeating incumbent Richard B. Sanders.-Early life and education:...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=wiggins - Debra L. StephensDebra L. StephensDebra L. Stephens is a member of the Washington Supreme Court. She was appointed to the court in December 2007 by Governor Christine Gregoire and took office in January 2008...
http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=stephens
Elections
- Washington State Supreme Court elections, 2006Washington State Supreme Court Elections, 2006The Washington State Supreme Court justices are elected at large by the voters of the state of Washington. The primary election was held on September 19. -2006 races:...