Debra L. Stephens
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Debra Leigh Stephens (née Williams; born 1965) is an American lawyer who has served as the chief justice of the
Washington Supreme Court The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. The court is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices. Members of the court are elected to six-year terms. ...
since 2025. She previously served as chief justice from 2020 to 2021. She was appointed to the court in December 2007 by Governor
Christine Gregoire Christine Gregoire (; née O'Grady; born March 24, 1947) is an American attorney and politician who served as the List of governors of Washington, 22nd governor of Washington, from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), D ...
and took office on January 1, 2008. She was elected by voters in 2008 and re-elected in 2014 and 2020. Prior to her appointment, Stephens served as a judge for Division Three of the Washington Court of Appeals and as an adjunct professor at
Gonzaga University School of Law The Gonzaga University School of Law (also known as Gonzaga Law or GU Law) is the professional school for the study of law at Gonzaga University. Established in 1912, the Jesuit-affiliated law school has been fully accredited by the American Ba ...
. She is the first judge from Division Three of the Court of Appeals to serve on the Washington State Supreme Court, and the first woman from Eastern Washington to do so.


Biography


Early life and education

Debra Leigh Williams grew up in Spokane, Washington. She graduated from West Valley High School, where she was student body president and a national "Century III Leader." In 2012, she was inducted into its alumni Hall of Fame. She graduated from
Gonzaga University Gonzaga University (GU) ( ) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington, United States. It is Higher education accreditation in the United States, accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges ...
and taught speech communication and coached the debate team at Spokane Falls Community College before entering Gonzaga University School of Law as a Thomas More Scholar. She earned her J.D. degree with honors, graduating summa cum laude in 1993.


Career

After completing law school, Stephens served as a staff attorney for the Honorable Frederick L. Van Sickle,
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington (in case citations, E.D. Wash.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of the state of Washington: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Ch ...
from 1993 to 1995. Stephens then went into private practice. From 1995 until April 2007 she helped coordinate the Amicus Curiae Program of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association Foundation. She also taught federal and state constitutional law, community property, appellate advocacy, and legal research and writing as an adjunct professor for Gonzaga University School of Law. In 2007, she was appointed and then elected as a judge for Division Three of the Washington Court of Appeals. Judge Stephens was then appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court effective January 1, 2008. She was then elected in 2008 to the Washington Supreme Court and re-elected in 2014. In October 2018, Stephens concurred when the majority abolished the state's death penalty because they found its racist imposition violated the
Constitution of Washington The Constitution of the State of Washington is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Washington. The constitution was adopted as part of Washington Territory's path to statehood in 1889. An ...
. On November 6, 2019, Stephens was unanimously selected to be the next Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court, following the retirement of Mary Fairhurst. Stephens was re-elected as an associate justice in 2020. She was succeeded as Chief Justice by Steven González on January 11, 2021.


Marriage and children

Stephens and her husband, Craig, have been married since 1989, and have two children.


References


External links


Washington Courts - Justice Debra L. Stephens
, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, Debra L. 1965 births 21st-century American judges 21st-century American women judges American Presbyterians American women academics Chief justices of the Washington Supreme Court Gonzaga University faculty Gonzaga University School of Law alumni Justices of the Washington Supreme Court Lawyers from Spokane, Washington Living people Politicians from Spokane, Washington Women chief justices of state supreme courts in the United States