(Olympia – Oct. 31, 2012) Justice Barbara A. Madsen was unanimously re-elected chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court today, during a regular administrative meeting of the court’s nine members in Olympia.

 

Madsen will continue to serve as the Court’s 55^th chief justice for a four-year term starting in January. Following the internal election, Madsen thanked her colleagues and outlined her priorities for the judiciary. 

 

“I am honored by the trust my colleagues have placed in me,” said Madsen. “The judiciary is in the midst of several important efforts to plan for the future of our justice system, from improving technology to the security of our courthouses. I look forward to continuing our work with the executive and legislative branches to improve our vital branch of government, and to ensure the public is well served by their courts.”

 

As chief justice, Madsen serves as the court’s chief spokesperson, presides over the court’s public hearings, and also co-chairs the state’s Board for Judicial Administration, the policy-setting group of the state judiciary.

 

Madsen is the third woman to be elected to a seat on the bench of the Washington Supreme Court since the formation of the court in 1889. Justice Madsen was first elected in 1992, re-elected in 1998, 2004 and re-elected for a fourth term in 2010.

 

A native of Renton, Justice Madsen received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in 1974 and earned her J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1977. She served as presiding judge for Seattle Municipal Court prior to her election on the Supreme Court. A full biography is available online at www.courts.wa.gov

 

She will be officially sworn in as the chief justice of the Supreme Court during ceremonies in Olympia on January 14.

 

CONTACTS:   Chief Justice Barbara A. Madsen 360.357.2037.