Candidate · Supreme Court, Position 1
Colleen Melody
- Current office
- Justice, Washington Supreme Court, Position 1 (since Jan. 2026, appointed)
- Occupation
- Supreme Court justice
- Lives in
- Vashon
Background
- Appointed by Gov. Bob Ferguson; began serving as the 100th justice of the Washington Supreme Court on Jan. 1, 2026. source: courts.wa.gov
- Was chief of the Civil Rights Division in the Washington State Attorney General's Office for 11 years; earlier a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. source: courts.wa.gov
- Law clerk to Judge Ronald M. Gould of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit after law school. source: courts.wa.gov
- B.A. and J.D., University of Washington. Born and raised in Spokane. source: washingtonstatestandard.com
- Had no prior judicial experience before the appointment. source: opb.org
In their own words
What the candidate says they will work on, from their campaign site or their answers to news-outlet questionnaires. We list it as stated and do not rate it.
- "Courts must safeguard Washington's independence and longstanding protection of individual and constitutional rights." source: washingtonstatestandard.com
- "Everyone deserves to be safe and free from violence, harassment, or discrimination." source: washingtonstatestandard.com
- "We need to be talking with the judges and the court administrators on the ground" about problems such as interpreter shortages. source: newsfromthestates.com
Look them up yourself
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Something wrong or missing? This profile was compiled from public sources on October 15, 2026. Every fact links to where it came from.