Chief Judge Lori K. Smith

Judge Lori K. Smith was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Court of Appeals in August 2018. Prior to her appointment, she was a King County Superior Court judge for over six years after having been a King County Superior Court commissioner for six years. While on the superior court, Judge Smith served as the Unified Family Court Chief Judge and served on various committees, including the Executive Committee, the Budget Committee and the Commissioner Selection Committee.

Judge Smith has been actively involved in efforts to improve the judicial system and is currently the co-chair of the Minority and Justice Commission's Education Committee and the co-chair of the Gender and Justice Commission's Tribal and State Court Consortium. She is also on the CCYJ Judicial Advisory Board. Judge Smith has taught at Judicial College and has been a presenter at numerous judicial conferences and other CLE programs. Throughout her career, Judge Smith has been involved in mentorship through minority bar associations, private organizations, the University of Washington School of Law and Seattle University School of Law. In 2011, along with her fellow King County Superior Court commissioners, Judge Smith received the King County Washington Women Lawyers Judge of the Year Award.

Prior to her judicial career, Judge Smith was a senior deputy in the Family Support Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and the managing attorney of the Kent office of that division. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, where her father was stationed in the Air Force. Judge Smith grew up in California, Guam, and New Hampshire before her father was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, near Spokane, Washington. Judge Smith obtained a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Washington University and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. Judge Smith lives with her husband in Seattle and enjoys reading, listening to live music, attending the theater, cheering at sporting events, and traveling.