Judge Ralph Armstrong

DIVISION II, POSITION 1

August 18, 1969–August 13, 1975

Appointed by Governor Evans; Retired

Judge Ralph Armstrong was born in 1909 in Auburn, Washington. As a boy, he raised Appaloosa horses while living on a small farm near the Green River. During high school, he was a debate champion. He continued his academics by graduating with honors from St. Martin’s College in Lacey, and then attended law school at the University of Idaho.

In 1936, Judge Armstrong started his legal career at Thurston County. Then, during the next seven years he worked in private practice and served as an assistant attorney general. He was twice elected to the state House of Representatives, where he chaired the Democratic Caucus. Injuries he suffered in an accident precluded his military service in World War II.

Judge Armstrong moved to Cowlitz County in 1943, where he became a prominent practitioner in the field of workers’ compensation. He served as president of the state trial lawyers’ organization (the predecessor of WSTLA and WSAJ), and he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Trial Lawyers in 1955.

In 1957, Judge Armstrong was elected to a judicial position on the then combined Cowlitz, Klickitat and Skamania Counties Superior Court bench. He served as a superior court Judge for 12 years from 1957-1969. In 1969, Governor Dan Evans appointed Judge Armstrong as one of the first empaneled Judges for the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division Two. Judge Armstrong served as the first Chief Judge for Division Two from 1969-70, and again in 1975 during the year of his retirement from the court. Judge Armstrong and Supreme Court Justice Hugh Rosellini were effective legislative lobbyists for the appellate judiciary, before the Administrator for the Courts assumed more of those responsibilities.

Judge Armstrong took a particular interest in juvenile and domestic relations matters, instituting a family court counseling program. He was instrumental in creating the Toutle River Boys Ranch and later, the Women’s Treatment Center at Purdy. The Washington State PTA awarded him the “Golden Acorn” award. Judge Armstrong was elected president of the Superior Court Judges Association. After his retirement, he received a distinguished service award from the Washington State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section.

Judge Armstrong died in Longview on November 12, 1998.