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Debra Stephens Chief Justice
Chief Justice, Washington Supreme Court · Washington State Supreme Court Position 7
Background: After graduating from law school, Stephens served as a staff attorney for Fred Van Sickle from 1993 to 1995. After that, she went into private practice.
At a glance
- Court
- Washington Supreme Court
- Position / seat
- Washington State Supreme Court Position 7
- Chief justice
- Yes
- How they joined the court
- Appointed by Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) (December 4, 2007)
- Appointed by
- Gov. Christine Gregoire (D)
- Appointment date
- December 4, 2007
- Took office
- January 1, 2008
- Current term ends
- January 10, 2027
- Next election or retention vote
- November 3, 2026 (general election)
- Last election
- August 4, 2026
- Party (as listed by Ballotpedia)
- Nonpartisan
- Ballotpedia partisanship estimate
- Mild Democrat (2020 study of justices' pre-court partisan activity)
- Education
- Bachelor's: Gonzaga University, 1987
- Law: Gonzaga University School of Law, 1993
- Prior offices
- Not listed
- Profession
- Not listed
- How this court's justices are chosen
- Nonpartisan election of judgesVoters elect the justices; no party label appears on the ballot.
Summary of facts listed on Debra Stephens’s Ballotpedia page (retrieved Oct 26, 2026) · Photo: Ballotpedia. “Not listed” means Ballotpedia didn’t list it in a form this site could read; check Ballotpedia for the latest.
No public decision data available for this court.