Mary Yu
American judge (born 1957)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mary Isabel Yu[1] (born 1957) is an American lawyer who served as an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court from 2014 to 2025. She served as a judge of the King County Superior Court from 2000 to 2014. She was the state's first openly gay justice, as well as the first Asian American and first Latina justice.[2]
Mary Yu | |
|---|---|
| Justice of the Washington Supreme Court | |
| In office May 20, 2014 – December 31, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Jay Inslee |
| Preceded by | James Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Colleen Melody |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Isabel Yu 1957 (age 68–69) |
| Education | Dominican University (BA) Loyola University Chicago (MA) University of Notre Dame (JD) |
Early life and education
Yu was born in Chicago, Illinois to a Chinese father and Mexican mother.[3] She graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1975.[4] Yu then attended Dominican University and graduated in 1979 with a degree in theology.[4] In 1989, Yu earned a graduate degree in theology from Mundelein of Loyola University.[4]
After completing her undergraduate education, Yu went to work for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.[5] She was initially hired by Rev. Francis J. Kane as a secretary for the Office of Peace and Justice for the Archdiocese of Chicago, but eventually rose to become director of the Office of Peace and Justice.[4][6]
Yu enrolled at Notre Dame Law School in 1990.[6] She graduated with her J.D. degree in 1993.[4]
Legal career and judicial service
In 1999, King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng named Yu as his deputy chief of staff.[3]
In 2000, Washington Governor Gary Locke appointed Yu to replace retiring judge Janice Niemi on the King County Superior Court.[7]
Yu was considered a leading contender to replace Justice Bobbe Bridge on the Washington Supreme Court when Bridge retired in December 2007.[8] Ultimately, Governor Christine Gregoire appointed Debra L. Stephens to fill the vacancy.[8]
On December 9, 2012, at midnight, Mary Yu officiated the first same-sex marriages in Washington state.[9] Judge Yu's name (coincidentally pronounced as "marry you") was deemed "the perfect name for the job" by The Stranger columnist Dominic Holden.[10]
Appointment to Washington Supreme Court
On May 1, 2014, Judge Yu was appointed by Washington Governor Jay Inslee to the Washington Supreme Court, making her the first openly LGBTQ member of the court, in addition to the first Latina-American and Asian-American.[11] She is the 11th woman to serve on the Washington Supreme Court (and one of six currently serving), the first person of Asian descent, the third person of Hispanic descent, and the first Hispanic woman.[12] Yu, who is openly gay, is also the first LGBT person to hold this position.[13] Yu is one of ten LGBT state supreme court justices currently serving in the United States.
She was sworn in on May 20, 2014 as an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court.[14][15] Justice Yu ran unopposed in 2015 to complete the term and was the highest vote getter in the State.[16] Justice Yu was subsequently elected to the Supreme Court for a six-year term in 2016.
In October 2018, Yu joined the majority when the court abolished the state's death penalty because they found its racist imposition violated the Constitution of Washington.[17][18]
Yu retired from the court on December 31, 2025.[19]
Personal life
Yu resides in Seattle and in Olympia.[20] On March 16, 2021, she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! where she was recognized for the appropriateness of her name as she also is a frequent wedding officiant.[21] On May 24, 2022, she threw the ceremonial first pitch for a game between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics.[22]
Awards
Yu is a Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Seattle University School of Law.[23] In 1984, Yu received the Caritas Veritas award from Dominican University, as an alumna exemplifying a search for truth through charity or service.[24]