Legal/Judicial Experience

Superior Court Judge; Senior Felony Prosecutor; Federal Public Defender, Chief Public Defender Colville Confederated Tribes; Federal Prosecutor; International Prosecutor in Pristina, Kosovo; Justice Advisor in Bamiyan, Afghanistan.

Other Professional Experience

Federal Civil Rights Investigator; U.S. Navy Veteran; presenter: legal education seminars in Beirut, Lebanon, Kolasin and Budva, Montenegro, and for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

Education

Juris Doctor, University of Washington School of Law; Bachelor of Arts, University of Washington. Department of State Certificate in Islamic Jurisprudence.

Community Service

Deacon, Mount Olive Lutheran Church; VFW Larry Godwin Post 1694 Honor Guard; Skookum Rotary; UW Law School Mentor; YMCA and UW Law school mock trial judge.

Statement

The duty of the Washington State Supreme Court is to uphold our constitution and to protect our rights and freedoms. Public policy is the province of the political branches and not the courts.

In the last two decades, direct appointment of judges by the governor rather than election of judges by the people has become a longstanding tradition. Our State Constitution mandated the election of judges because direct appointment leads to ideological and political decisions. Appointments were reserved for vacancies. Judge Stevens was elected and not appointed. His election will bring common sense and balance to the Supreme Court.

After High School, Judge Stevens joined the Navy. After his enlistment, he used his veteran’s benefits to attend the University of Washington where he met his wife Pam. After graduating, he worked as a Federal Civil Rights Investigator for the Fair Housing Enforcement Center Seattle fighting racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination. He then went to the UW School of Law. Judge Stevens and his wife live in Shelton close to six of their nine grandchildren.

As a lawyer and judge he has tried more than two hundred jury trials. His supporters include tribes, judges, public defenders, prosecutors, attorneys, and law enforcement.