By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
As the new year begins, Seattle celebrates the retirement of one of its most enduring and impactful legal figures. Superior Court Judge LeRoy McCullough officially stepped down on December 31, 2025, closing out a distinguished career that spanned more than five decades and left a lasting imprint on the legal system and the community he served.
Born in South Carolina, McCullough graduated from Emmitt Scott High School in 1968, where he earned National Honor Society honors during a time of deep racial and social upheaval. As the nation began reckoning with the brilliance and potential of Black America, McCullough was selected through a program sponsored by Harvard University to pursue higher education. He chose the University of Washington, where his academic journey began.
He completed undergraduate degrees in History, Political Science, and Education at the University of Washington before earning his Juris Doctorate at the UW School of Law. While in college, McCullough volunteered as an educator at Meany Middle School, laying the foundation for what would become a life of service.
His early legal career began with the City of Seattle, where he monitored land use and conducted environmental reviews. He later served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington. These roles, however, were never about titles for McCullough. They were platforms for public service and justice.
“I wanted to get into the schools and make a difference, understanding that young people needed to have the opportunity to grow and that education was a tool for success. In my junior year of college, it occurred to me that the law was an even better tool for making change in society,” said McCullough. “The law would give me a better opportunity to live the lifestyle that I thought I was entitled to. So, I changed my major and then from there went on to law school because I wanted to be a change agent.”
On November 8, 1989, McCullough was elected to the King County Superior Court, encouraged by the Honorable Charles V. Johnson, the first Black judge in Seattle.
Ron Ward, the Washington State Bar Association’s first Black president, said McCullough embodies the kind of judge the public hopes for.
“He is the epitome of what the public envisioned and what they wanted in a judge,” said Ward. “He is measured, thoughtful, totally without pretension. He is truly a jurist who projects the substance of being a servant of the people over whom he has to make decisions rendering judgment.”
From the bench, McCullough was intentional about how he viewed justice. He approached each case with a humanistic philosophy and deep respect for the dignity of every individual. His commitment to the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” extended beyond legal procedure. It shaped his vision of rehabilitation and redemption.
“So, whether it was at juvenile court, which was one of my favorite assignments, or in adult court or whatever, I give people the benefit of the doubt, and certainly in the criminal realm you are presumed innocent, but even once you’re determined to be guilty, you still need to determine whether or not that person has promise, has potential,” said McCullough. “So, my objective was not to dehumanize anyone, but to try to give them an incentive to make better choices in the future even if they have been convicted.”
“You might say that my philosophy was one of the human empowerment perspectives, looking at the whole person as opposed to the act, in other words, separating the act from the actor,” said McCullough.
That philosophy extended far beyond the courtroom. In the 1990s, as police harassment against African American youth intensified, McCullough drew upon his roots in education and his commitment to equity to co-found the Charles V. Johnson Youth and Law Forum with Judges Johnson and Norma Smith Huggins. The forum offered legal education and civic engagement opportunities for young people, while also opening pathways to legal careers for students from underrepresented communities.
According to McCullough, the forum grew out of both a love of teaching and a need to respond to injustice with solutions. It has since served thousands of families and stands as a model for community-centered legal mentorship.
Rev. Dr. Margaret Spearmon, a longtime collaborator and community leader, worked closely with McCullough through the forum’s development and evolution.
“What I think and have observed in his work over many, many, many years as a professional, as a deep faith-based individual, and as an exemplary community member, two concepts come into my mind. One is he is a servant leader. And two is borrows from the philosophy of Michael Dyson’s, a man of greatness,” said Spearmon. “When I think about servant leadership, it has special tenets, that affirms dignity and builds trust. It has an empathetic, there’s empathy demonstrated, and it looks at the fact that people are a value and a need to understand people’s individual perspectives and experiences and kind of recognizes an individual’s inherent worth.”
McCullough’s commitment to community extended into every part of his life. He served as president of the Loren Miller Bar Association and was instrumental in bringing the National Bar Association convention to Seattle. He championed scholarship funds, initiated legal rights education efforts, and worked closely with the Central Area Chamber of Commerce to support business growth in the Central District.
He chaired numerous committees, including the Jury Committee, educating citizens about their civic responsibilities. His efforts from the bench also led to the creation of a Black History Month program within the King County courts. That work included securing a portrait of Justice Thurgood Marshall for permanent display in the courthouse, creating a lasting visual tribute to Black excellence in law.
The judicial charge and meticulousness McCullough exhibited earned him widespread recognition. Among his many honors was the 2025 APEX Outstanding Judge Award. But those who know him say his legacy is not in the accolades. It is in the lives he touched, the systems he improved, and the values he embodied.
“He’s very much a part of confronting difficult truths about himself and society, but acting with moral integrity,” said Spearmon. “You can see through his professional work as well as community work is being justice oriented. He uses his influence to help dismantle injustice and uplift the marginalized. So that’s what his life’s work has been and it’s a beautiful.”
“I’ve been to several of his award ceremonies that he’s received, and that’s what you hear over and over again,” said Spearmon. “But to me what encapsulates it all is those two concepts of servant leadership and a man of greatness.”
Though McCullough has retired from the bench, his legacy is far from finished. His decades of public service, unwavering commitment to equity, and humanistic approach to justice continue to guide those who follow.
McCullough says his worldview is deeply grounded in faith, and that belief has always shaped how he sees people, the law, and his responsibility as a public servant.
“For me it’s grounded in the scripture. It talks about how we’re all made in the image of the creator and, if we are all made in the image of the creator, then there isn’t room for me to disrespect you or to disregard your feelings or whatever,” said McCullough. “I may not agree with you, but you are still human. And I think that the scripture talks about how you are to view each other. It talks about whether or not you have an obligation to make life better.”
“We’re the salt of the earth, meaning the seasoning, and we have an obligation to make life better, not just for yourself but for others,” added McCullough.
