Methods of Judicial Selection: Washington
Selection of Judges
| Supreme Court: | 9 |
| Court of Appeals: | 22 |
| Superior Court: | 186 |
| Supreme Court: | – |
| Court of Appeals: | 9 |
| Superior Court: | 30 |
| Supreme Court: | statewide* |
| Court of Appeals: | district |
| Superior Court: | county |
| Supreme Court: | nonpartisan election** |
| Court of Appeals: | nonpartisan election** |
| Superior Court: | nonpartisan election** |
| Supreme Court: | 6 yrs |
| Court of Appeals: | 6 yrs |
| Superior Court: | 4 yrs |
| Supreme Court: | reelection |
| Court of Appeals: | reelection |
| Superior Court: | reelection |
| Supreme Court: | 6 yrs |
| Court of Appeals: | 6 yrs |
| Superior Court: | 4 yrs |
| Supreme Court: | gubernatorial appointment |
| Court of Appeals: | gubernatorial appointment |
| Superior Court: | gubernatorial appointment |
| Supreme Court: | next general election; successor holds office for remainder of unexpired term |
| Court of Appeals: | next general election; successor holds office for remainder of unexpired term |
| Superior Court: | next general election; successor holds office for remainder of unexpired term |
| Supreme Court: | peer vote |
| Court of Appeals: | peer vote |
| Superior Court: | peer vote*** |
| Supreme Court: | 4 yrs |
| Court of Appeals: | 1 yr |
| Superior Court: | at least 1 yr*** |
| Supreme Court: | licensed to practice in state; retirement age is 75 |
| Court of Appeals: | 5 yrs practice in state; resident of district at least 1 yr |
| Superior Court: | licensed to practice in state; retirement age is 75 |
Selection and retention methods and term lengths are prescribed by Article IV of the Washington Constitution and Chapter 2.06 of the Revised Code of Washington.
*Currently, the supreme court has one justice from eastern Washington (Debra Stephens), while six of the justices are from the Seattle-Tacoma area. Various proposals have been made in the legislature for geographically based election schemes.
**Judicial candidates run in a primary election. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the names of the top two vote getters are placed on the general election ballot.
***Each superior court district may establish local rules for the appointment and term of the chief judge. However, the chief judge must be selected by a vote of his/her peers and the term must be at least one year.