Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Washington Supreme Court Justice Montoya-Lewis to visit Western Washington University on Tuesday

On Tuesday, October 26th starting at 9:30 a.m., Washington Supreme Court Justice Montoya-Lewis will speak with students interested in learning more about the justice system in Washington State, the role of judges and her personal experience as a justice on the Washington State Supreme Court.

Justice Montoya-Lewis, a former Fairhaven College professor, was appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court by Governor Jay Inslee in December 2019 and took the oath of office on January 6, 2020. Justice Montoya-Lewis is an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta and a descendant of the Pueblo of Laguna, two federally recognized tribes in New Mexico. She is the first enrolled member of any tribe to sit on a state supreme court in the U.S. and the second Native American to sit on a state supreme court. She is also of Jewish descent. Prior to becoming an Associate Justice, she served as a Superior Court judge for Whatcom County for five years, where she heard criminal and civil trials and presided over the Whatcom County Therapeutic Drug Court.

The event is organized by Director & Assistant Professor Ana Cecilia Lopez and sponsored by Western Washington’s Center for Law, Diversity & Justice at Fairhaven College.

CONTACT: Email Ana Cecilia Lopez, Center for Law, Diversity & Justice at lopeza5@wwu.edu