The honorable Judith M. Hightower has been a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Seattle since 1991. Rather than seeking an appointment, Judge Hightower filed as a write-in candidate in the primary election. She went on to win the general election by a large margin.
A native of Seattle, Judge Hightower earned her B.A. at the University of Washington and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Seattle University. She worked as a criminal defense attorney representing indigent defendants. She served as Presiding Judge of Seattle Municipal Court; a member of the Court’s Executive Committee; on the Board of the District and Municipal Judges Association and the Association’s Diversity (founding Chair) and Education committees.
Judge Hightower has a passion for access to justice issues and has been a member of the State Bar’s Access to Justice Board’s Education Committee and the Advisory Board of the Seattle University Law School’s Access to Justice Institute.
Judge Hightower has received many awards for her service; speaks regularly in schools and community; supports several non-profit organizations; sings with two Choirs and is married with two adult children and two grandchildren.
