Edsonya Charles

Seattle Municipal Court

Position One

It has been my privilege to serve as your Seattle Municipal Court Judge since 2004, and presiding judge since 2008.

Independent and uncompromised The role of a judge is to serve the public and make informed, thoughtful decisions, free from outside interests. An independent judiciary is one of the key rights afforded citizens. I am dedicated to the principle of open access to justice for all. That means ensuring everyone who appears before the court is treated with respect and receives a full and fair hearing. The Municipal Court is the “people’s court,” where average people are most likely to encounter the justice system. I consider that every time I enter the courtroom.

Service to our community, commitment to justice I have built my career around a commitment to serving our community. The courtroom is not simply divided into victims and accused persons. It takes a compassionate mind and legal experience to find the best resolution. Before serving as judge, I led the Seattle Human Services Coalition, where I worked to improve services to Seattle’s most vulnerable residents and strengthen collaboration among human service providers. As a federal prosecutor, I prosecuted cases against criminals who stole from working people. I also served as deputy legal counsel to Mayor Nickels, advising on public safety and human service issues. I am Vice-Chair of the King County Regional Law Safety and Justice Committee, a coalition of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, human service professionals, law enforcement and local government working together to solve problems facing our communities. As a Municipal Court Judge, I have presided over thousands of criminal and civil cases.

Experience as a reformer A commitment to justice means making the courts work for people. Our court is nationally recognized and I am proud to have helped shape our system. I am a reformer implementing alternatives to incarceration, saving jail costs and allowing offenders to give back to affected communities. In these tough fiscal times, I have worked to make our courts more accountable, implementing reforms that increased efficiencies and lowered costs without compromising justice. I’ve twice been awarded Vice-President Al Gore’s National Partnership for Reinventing Government for increasing government responsiveness and efficiency.

I would appreciate your support this November.

Supporters include: Dr. Constance Rice, Bob Santos, Greg Nickels, Pramila Jayapal, Sen. Joe McDermott, Sarah Mack, Bob Watt, Charles Royer, and Judges Fred Bonner, Judith Hightower, George Holifield, Kimi Kondo.

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Write to [email protected].

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