Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Memorial Service for Washington Supreme Court Justice James Andersen Set for May 31 in Tumwater

The public is invited to a memorial service hosted by the Supreme Court in honor of retired Washington Supreme Court Justice James A. Andersen, who passed away May 1, 2022. The service honoring Justice Andersen will be held May 31 at the Town Center East Building 3 first-floor courtroom in Tumwater, and commences at 11 a.m. In-person space is limited, but the memorial will be streamed live on TVW.

The program will include remarks by Chief Justice Steven González, family members and close friends of the departed justice and a benediction by a deacon close to the family.

Justice Andersen was born September 21, 1924, in Auburn, Washington. An only child, his father was a coal miner and Justice Andersen followed in his father’s footsteps to also work in the mines as a young man.

He enrolled in college at the University of Washington in 1942, but his education was interrupted by World War II. Justice Andersen served as an armored infantryman in General Patton’s Third Army, until he was seriously wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. At the young age of 21, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and a Purple Heart. Following his service, he returned to the University of Washington and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and then a law degree.

In 1953, he began his legal career as a deputy prosecuting attorney in King County. He then went into private practice, eventually starting his own firm. It was while in private practice that he realized public service was his true calling. He began his long public service career in 1958 when he was elected to the State House of Representatives. He served in the House until 1967, when he was elected to the State Senate.

During his 14 years in the Legislature, he served on the Judiciary Committees of the House and the Senate. He was a past Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and was also a member of the State Judicial Council.

In 1975 Governor Dan Evans appointed Justice Andersen to the Court of Appeals, Division I. After he had served nearly 10 years on the Court of Appeals, Governor John Spellman appointed Justice Andersen to the State Supreme Court on July 9, 1984.

He remained a member of the Court for 11 years and was Chief Justice from 1992 until his retirement in 1995. As Chief, he was the host judge of the National Conference of Chief Justices and gave the first ever State of the Judiciary Address to a joint session of the Washington State Legislature.

After retiring from the Supreme Court, he served as Special Assistant Attorney General, chaired the Legislative Ethics Board, and was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Washington Coalition for Open Government.

In 2005, Justice Andersen was the first recipient of the Washington Coalition for Open Government’s James Madison Award, which is presented annually to an individual or organization whose long-term commitment to the cause of open government is demonstrated through exemplary words or deeds. He also was awarded the University of Washington School of Law Distinguished Alumnus award

In 2007 the coalition created The James Andersen Award, which is given annually in his honor to an individual or organization that has done something extraordinary to advance the people’s right to access government information.

Contact: Communicatons Officer Patric Haerle, Patric.Haerle@courts.wa.gov