Judge C. Kenneth Grosse

DIVISION I, POSITION 6

January 2, 1985–May 31, 2014

Appointed by Governor Spellman; Retired

Justice Dolliver was fond of replying to the inquiry of how best to become a judge with the quip: "Get to know a Governor." I've known several, but John Spellman was kind enough to appoint me to the Court of Appeals in January, 1985, during the last days of his tenure, thus saving me from unemployment.

At the time, I was serving as his Chief of Staff and Counsel. While that was a great job, this one is better. After serving as a law clerk to the late Justice Frank Weaver, an assistant attorney general, Minority Counsel to the State Senate, in private practice in Seattle for 15 years (10 of it with Keller Rohrback), and then with the Governor's office, I can truly say that being a Judge on the Court of Appeals is the best job in state government.

On the first working day of the new millennium I will have spent 15 years working with people with the finest combination of intelligence, judgment, dedication, and experience one can hope to encounter.

To steal a line from Agid, J., who I will swear stole it from me, judges are the last of the generalists in our increasingly complex society. Lacking any other discernible talent, being a great generalist was my aspiration from early on. While I have missed the "great," I have certainly worked with many who did not, and that has been a privilege. For my part, I am constantly bemused by the fact that I get paid to do what we do on the Court of Appeals. I love nothing better than a good argument, and this Court is the place to get it!