Simple jQuery Dropdown Menu | Finished Article

Justice Debra L. Stephens

The Honorable Debra L. Stephens has been a member of the Washington State Supreme Court since January 2008 and served as the court's 57th chief justice. Justice Stephens previously served as a judge for Division Three of the Court of Appeals and is the first judge from that court to join the Washington State Supreme Court, as well as the first woman from Eastern Washington to do so. A native of Spokane, Washington, she practiced law and taught as an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University School of Law prior to taking the bench. She appeared as counsel over 125 times in the Washington State Supreme Court, in addition to appearances in the Idaho Supreme Court, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and as counsel of record in the United States Supreme Court.

Justice Stephens is deeply involved in efforts to advance justice and improve the legal system in Washington State and beyond. A leader in judicial and public education, she serves on the Washington Civic Learning Council, is a founding executive committee member of the National Courts and Sciences Institute (NCSI), and a convener for Dividing the Waters, an organization supporting judicial education on water law issues. She has been a member and co-chair of the Board for Judicial Administration, and co-chair of the COVID-19 Court Recovery Task Force. Justice Stephens is active in the National and International Association of Women Judges and co-chairs its Judicial Independence Committee. Internationally, she works with USAID to train foreign judges on issues of judicial independence and the rule of law.

Justice Stephens has received numerous recognitions for her work, including the "Myra Bradwell Award" from the Gonzaga Women's Law Caucus, the "Leadership & Justice Award" from MAMAS (Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle), the "Distinguished Judicial Service Award" from Gonzaga University School of Law, and the "President's Award" from Washington Women Lawyers. Most recently, the Board for Judicial Administration presented her the "Innovating Justice" award in recognition of her leadership of the judicial branch during the COVID-19 crisis.

Justice Stephens and her husband have been married for over 30 years and have two grown children. She comes from a large and loving family and enjoys nothing more than spending time with family at their home below Hell's Canyon.


JUSTICE


 

Privacy and Disclaimer NoticesSitemap

© Copyright 2024. Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts.

S3