Judge James A. Andersen

DIVISION I, POSITION 4

January 14, 1975–July 24, 1984

Appointed by Governor Evans; Resigned to accept appointment to Supreme Court

Judge James Andersen was a combat infantryman in WWII near Bastogne. Ten days following his 21st birthday, he received a disability discharge from the U.S. Army on the account of wounds.

Judge Andersen worked twenty-four years in the trial practice of law. As deputy prosecutor, he successfully investigated and prosecuted the Chief of King County Detectives for bribery. As a lawyer in private practice, he tried both plaintiff and defense cases. Judge Andersen successfully defended the members of the State Liquor Control Board when they were indicted by a King County grand jury and did the same for the retired Seattle Chief of Police.

During private practice years, Judge Andersen also served as a citizen-legislator for fourteen years, first in the House and then in the Senate. Judge Andersen was elected to the No. 2 leadership position by his colleagues in the House and to the No. 1 leadership position by his colleagues in the Senate. In the Senate, Judge Andersen was one of those who wrote and passed the legislation creating the Court of Appeals. Judge Andersen resigned from the Senate in 1972 to devote full-time to the practice of law.

Judge Andersen was appointed to Division I of the Court of Appeals in 1975 by Governor Daniel J. Evans. Immediately thereafter, Judge Andersen stood for election and won a contested King County-wide election to his seat on the Court. After ten years on the Court of Appeals, and following a term as Chief Judge of Division I, he went on to the State Supreme Court. After ten years on the Supreme Court, upon completion of term as Chief Justice, Judge Andersen retired.

Judge Andersen’s three words to summarize his time at Division I: it’s been challenging.