Seattle Municipal Court Judges

The Seattle Municipal Court's judges are elected to judicial departments for a four-year term. 

Standing, Left to Right:
Honorable Catherine McDowall, Honorable Faye Chess, Honorable Anita Crawford-Willis, Honorable Adam Eisenberg (left SMC January 2023)

Sitting, Left to Right:
Honorable Damon Shadid, Honorable Willie Gregory, Honorable Andrea Chin

Not Pictured: Honorable Pooja Vaddadi

Photo credit:
Matt Hagen, @AllThingsMattHagen

Judges' Role and Responsibilities

The majority of the Seattle Municipal Court Judges' time is dedicated to jury trials and pretrial hearings. They also hear sentencings, arraignments, reviews, non-jury (bench) trials and can perform Marriage Ceremonies.

Presiding Judge

Every other year, the judges select one judge to act as the Presiding Judge for a two-year term. Honorable Faye Chess is currently serving as Presiding Judge.

The Presiding Judge's responsibilities include:

• Oversee the Magistrates
• Lead the management and administration of the court's business
• Recommend policies and procedures that improve the court's effectiveness
• Allocate resources that maximize the court's ability to resolve disputes fairly and expeditiously
• Determine judicial assignments

Current Judicial Assignments (effective January 9, 2023)

Honorable Faye Chess, Presiding Judge
Honorable Andrea Chin, Assistant Presiding Judge

Courtroom 901: Dark
Courtroom 902: Hon. Pooja Vaddadi, General Trial
Courtroom 903: Hon. Damon Shadid, General Trial
Courtroom 1001: Hon. Willie Gregory, General Trial
Courtroom 1002: Hon. Anita Crawford-Willis, Community Court, Mental Health Court
Courtroom 1003: Hon. Andrea Chin, Domestic Violence 
Courtroom 1101: Hon. Catherine McDowall, General Trial
Courtroom 1102: Rotating Judge, Out of Custody Arraignments
Courtroom 1103: Hon. Faye Chess, Master Calendar, Veterans Treatment 
Courtroom KCJ2: Rotating Judge - In-custody Arraignments