Judge Faye Kennedy

DIVISION I, POSITION 3

December 3, 1990–September 16, 2005

Elected; Passed away while in office

Judge Kennedy attended the University of Idaho and graduated with a law degree in 1967. After completion as law clerk for Chief Justice Robert Finley in Olympia, she came to Everett where her career included: Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Snohomish County from 1968 to 1970; Judge, Everett District Court from 1970 to 1973; and private practice in family law from 1974 to 1990. Judge Kennedy was a pioneer, blazing new ground for women in the law, who made history as the first female deputy prosecutor and judge in Snohomish County.

In 1990, Judge Kennedy was elected to Division One, Court of Appeals, where she remained until her passing on September 16, 2005.

Judge Kennedy won many awards and had written and lectured extensively. In 2004, she was voted "Judge of the Year" by the King County Washington Women’s Lawyers. Formerly she was president of the Snohomish County Bar Association; a member of the Board of Directors of Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (and co-chair of the WSTLA Domestic Relations Section); member and CLE coordinator, WSBA Family Law Section; member of WSBA Client Security Fund and Law Office Management Committees; member of WSBA Task Force on Professional Liability Insurance Fund; member of the Gender & Justice Commission; and chair of the Domestic Relations Commission and its Reduction of Family Conflict Subcommittee.

Judge Kennedy lectured and wrote extensively for CLE seminars on such topics as spousal maintenance, complex property issues, prenuptial contracts, divorce taxation, pensions, law office management, and appellate advocacy.

Judge Kennedy also authored two chapters in the WSBA Family Law Deskbook; received Honors from the WSBA Family Law Section as Designated Family Law Attorney of the Year in 1990; and was a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. In addition, Judge Kennedy was Chief Judge of Division One of the Court of Appeals.

Judge Kennedy is survived by her husband, Bruce Kennedy, and son, David Kennedy.