ISANG SULAT MULA KAY SEAN:
Bakit Ako Tumatakbo para sa Korte Suprema

January 14, 2026

 

Dear Friends,

​

Today, I announce my candidacy for the Washington State Supreme Court. I would be honored to have your support and your vote in 2026.

​

I believe that our State Supreme Court is strongest when it reflects a diversity of voices and experiences. I have deep respect and admiration for every justice on the Court, and I also believe institutions are strengthened over time through thoughtful continuity, growth, and the inclusion of new perspectives.

​

The values I will bring to this job are simple ones — compassion, fairness, independence, and honesty. My judicial philosophy is rooted in these values. A faithful interpretation of the law also includes appreciating its effect on people, families, and communities.

 

My framework for legal decision-making is similarly straightforward: I begin with the Constitution, the laws enacted by the Legislature, and the legal precedent that guides the Court in resolving cases and controversies.

 

Supreme Court justices’ decisions and their rule-making authority have a profound impact on our state and its residents. They protect our civil liberties. They determine how crime victims are treated. They influence how public safety and public budgets are balanced. And they weigh in on how new reforms, like video jury selection and emerging technologies, shape the delivery of justice.

 

I believe I can make a difference in all these issues — and in the lives of the citizens of our state.

 

This January marks my 25th year in the legal profession, the last 13 as a King County Superior Court judge. I began my career as a prosecutor, where I helped prosecute the Green River Killer and tried some of the most dangerous offenders in our community.

 

On the bench, I have presided over complex civil matters, divisive family law cases, and heartbreaking criminal trials. I have guided families through high-conflict dissolutions, ruled on difficult pre-trial release decisions, and overseen the surrender of hundreds of firearms by people legally prohibited from having them. I have also served as a pro tem Justice on our State Supreme Court.

 

I am proud of the judicial reforms I have helped lead. Among them:

​

• Firearms and Protection Orders: As Chief Family Law Judge, I oversaw the creation of a protection order court that has resulted in thousands of guns taken off the streets. The Court of Appeals upheld my ruling on the Montesi case, which affirmed the Constitutionality of Washington’s weapons surrender statute.

• Public Safety Leadership: I have spoken out about public defender case load standards, advocated for more respect for crime victims' treatment by the judiciary, and have spoken out when elected leaders miss the mark on juvenile justice. I have cautioned that proposed court rules impacting community safety need more public awareness, engagement, and discussion. And I have pushed to improve pre-trial release decisions in criminal cases, including obtaining legislative funding for a text reminder program to reduce the number of warrants issued for pre-trial failures to appear, to save tax dollars and create a more humane approach to criminal justice.

• Courts of the Future: I helped pioneer all-remote video jury selection during the pandemic, and because of the benefits to jurors and the overall court system, I advocated for a permanent rule after the pandemic. Today, I serve on both the State Bar Association’s and the Supreme Court’s AI. Task Forces, exploring ethical and practical applications of AI to improve access to justice and AI’s implications on the legal profession.

 

My colleagues have trusted me with leadership roles, including as King County’s Special Inquiry Judge, Chief of King County’s Unified Family Court, Chief of the Criminal Department, and President of the Washington Superior Court Judges’ Association, where I led statewide efforts to improve courthouse security across Washington State.

​

Throughout my career, I have worked to ensure that all parties are treated with dignity and respect. This commitment has been a particular focus while working with crime victims. I believe that judges can honor victims’ rights while vigorously protecting defendants’ constitutional guarantees. Yet, too often, crime victims’ perspectives and needs are missing or ignored in judicial reform conversations. That needs to change.

 

These are among the reasons I am ready to bring my experience, judgment, and independence to the State’s highest court.

​

I would be honored to have your support, your endorsement, and your vote. You can find out more about the campaign at odonnellforjustice.com.

​

Sincerely,

 

 

Sean P. O'Donnell​