About Judge Spearman
Judge Spearman has been an outstanding judge for over 13 years.
Judge Spearman and her family
After receiving her B.A. degree in psychology from Rutgers University in 1981, Judge Spearman attended University of Washington School of Law. She received her law degree in 1984. She went to work as an attorney for The Defender Association, where she represented poor people who were accused of criminal offenses. She tried over 75 felony and 30 misdemeanor cases to verdict.
In 1992 Judge Spearman went into private practice where she focused on family law and criminal defense.
In 1995 Judge Spearman received her first judicial appointment. That year the City of Kirkland established its own municipal court and appointed Judge Spearman as the court's first judge.
Kirkland Municipal Court
Judge Spearman ran an innovative and efficient court. In partnership with Lake Washington High School, Spearman initiated a Student Traffic Court program in which high school students were allowed to preside as judge and jury in student traffic infraction cases.
She established a mentor program which matched youth in need with community volunteers.
Judge Spearman also implemented a day detention program to offer non-violent offenders an alternative to jail. This program provided an effective sanction for criminal behavior while saving tax dollars that would have been spent on incarceration. In addition, she established a process to allow traffic infractions to be heard by mail, saving time and money for both the court and citizens of Kirkland.
King County District Court
In 2000 Judge Spearman was appointed to the King County District Court by the King County Council, where she served as the Domestic Violence Court judge for 3 years and a Juvenile Court judge for King County Superior Court for 2 years
She is currently the Presiding Judge of the West Division of King County District Court, a member of the court's Executive Committee and Chair of the court's Personnel Committee.
Since her appointment to District Court, Judge Spearman has been highly rated by the attorneys who appear before her for her efficiency, impartiality, decision-making and demeanor. In three elections to retain her District Court seat, she has been unopposed.
Judge Spearman contributes to the community. She has served as Co-President of the Lowell Elementary PALS/PTA, as a volunteer parent at Lowell and Montlake Elementary. and as a volunteer judge with King County Kids Court. She has served as a Board Member of Childhaven, the American Judicature Society, the Public Legal Education Committee of the Washington State Bar Association and Seattle Parks and Recreation.
She has been married to her husband, Michael, for 17 years and is the mother of two teenage children, Samantha and Mike.