Seattle Municipal Court
City court in Washington, US
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Seattle Municipal Court is a city court of limited jurisdiction within King County, Washington.[1] It was created in 1891 by the Washington State Legislature.[2] The court handles misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, civil offenses, and infractions.[1]
| Seattle Municipal Court | |
|---|---|
King County Courthouse, Seattle | |
| Established | 1891 |
| Jurisdiction | Seattle, Washington |
| Location | Seattle, Washington |
| Composition method | Seven elected judges; five appointed magistrates |
| Authorised by | Constitution of Washington City of Seattle Charter |
| Appeals to | King County Superior Court |
| Website | seattle |
| Presiding Judge | |
| Currently | Anita Crawford-Willis |
| Assistant Presiding Judge | |
| Currently | Damon Shadid |
History
Seattle Police Court was the precursor to the Municipal Court.[2] Justices were appointed by the city council among King County Justices of the Peace serving in Seattle.[1] The 1890 Freeholders Charter established a police court in Seattle, but the provision was repealed in 1892 after a state law created a municipal court for the city.[2] The Municipal court was created to be a "court of limited jurisdiction" and heard cased involving violations of state laws and city ordinances in city jurisdiction.[2]
The current Municipal Court was created in 1955 and has jurisdiction over violations of all city ordinances and hears misdemeanor cases.[1][2] Municipal justices are elected to their positions.[2]
Jurisdiction and administration
The Seattle Municipal Court serves the City of Seattle.
According to Seattle City Ordinance 3.33.010, "[T]he purpose of the Court is to try violations of City ordinances and all other actions brought to enforce or recover license penalties or forfeitures declared or given by any such ordinances and perform such other duties as may be authorized by law."[3]
The administration of security is handled by the Seattle Municipal Court Marshals, who are both law enforcement and security officers for the Seattle Municipal Court.[4]
Current judges
| Name | Assumed office | Current term end | Law school | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judges | ||||
| Presiding Judge | Anita Crawford-Willis | January 2017 | January 2027 | Seattle University |
| Assistant Presiding Judge | Damon Shadid | January 2014 | January 2027 | University of Houston |
| Judge | Faye R. Chess | April 2018 | January 2027 | University of Cincinnati |
| Andrea Chin | January 2018 | January 2027 | Loyola Marymount University | |
| Willie Gregory | January 2011 | January 2027 | Seattle University | |
| Catherine McDowall | September 2020 | January 2027 | University of Virginia | |
| Pooja Vaddadi | January 2023 | January 2027 | Seattle University | |
| Magistrates | ||||
| Magistrate | Mary Lynch | - | - | Seattle University |
| Robert Chung | - | - | Seattle University | |
| Seth Niesen | - | - | Gonzaga University | |
| Noah Weil | - | - | Seattle University | |
| Lisa Mansfield | - | - | University of Washington | |