Damon Shadid

Seattle Municipal Court

Position 7

Occupation: Seattle Municipal Court Judge – incumbent

Statement: Judge Damon Shadid has dedicated his years serving in the Seattle Municipal Court to finding better ways to approach criminal justice. He believes that the criminal legal system should have two primary and complementary objectives: community safety and helping people obtain the services they need to exit the criminal legal system.

With these objectives in mind, Judge Shadid has built from the ground up a new Community Court that gives participants the option of being quickly connected with services they need to address the issues that have brought them into the criminal legal system – untreated mental illness, homelessness, addiction, and employment challenges.  

Judge Shadid has also been instrumental in re-building Seattle’s Mental Health Court, where he has presided for the past 4 years. He was able to work with the City Attorney’s Office and the Department of Public Defense to improve the Mental Health Court and encourage more individuals with mental health barriers to get the vital services they need.

Finally, Judge Shadid created efficiencies in the Court by allowing caseworkers who are working with defendants to come to court just once each week in order to monitor ongoing recovery progress and connections with community services.

But the work is not done. Seattle faces profound challenges stemming from still deficient vital services like affordable housing, substance abuse, and mental health treatment. Judge Shadid believes that the Municipal Court should play a central role in improving access to these services and will continue to work hard every day to ensure that all people are treated with fairness and compassion and that Seattle becomes a safer place to live and work.

Endorsements: King County Democrats and Young Democrats; 32nd, 34th, 37th, 43rd, 46th LD Democrats; Democrats for Diversity & Inclusion; SEIU 775; ATU 587; Machinists Union (IAM 751); Teamsters JC 28

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