Raquel Montoya-Lewis

Washington Supreme Court

Position Three

Legal/Judicial Experience
State Supreme Court Justice with 20 years judicial experience: Whatcom County Superior Court, 2015-2020; Former Chief Judge for the Lummi Nation, Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian tribes.

Other Professional Experience
Former Professor at Western Washington University; Nationally recognized educator, trained hundreds of judges.

Education
BA, University of New Mexico; JD, UW Law School, MSW, UW School of Social Work

Community Service
Justice Montoya-Lewis served on the Washington State Advisory Group & the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, Family Violence Advisory Board for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and co-chaired the Whatcom County Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Task Force.

Statement
I am proud to serve you on our highest court, where I bring diverse judicial experience and a reputation for fairness and common sense--making sure laws are applied without bias or political influence. I have presided over therapeutic drug courts, developed innovative programs for children and families, and managed hundreds of trials, including felony criminal trials and complex civil litigation. I’m committed to ensuring victims are heard and supported.

As Washington’s first Native American Justice, I’m proud of my record of accomplishments and appreciate my role as a voice for underrepresented communities. I’ve worked hard to earn the respect of my peers, those who appear in my courtroom, and voters looking for qualified, impartial, independent judges.

An award winning advocate for children and youth, I’ve worked to restore young lives rather than create a cycle of incarceration. We must invest in early intervention to deter criminal behavior, providing pathways for success for those who do commit crimes.

My thoughtful approach is reflected by “exceptionally well qualified” evaluations. I’m endorsed by my Supreme Court colleagues, judges statewide, as well as the State Labor Council, Washington Conservation Voters, the National Women’s Political Caucus-WA, Women of Color in Politics, and more.

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