Attorney and Seattle Municipal Court Pro Tem Judge Shantrice Anderson has announced her candidacy for Seattle Municipal Court Judge, bringing more than a decade of legal experience, a background as a public defender and civil litigator, and a commitment to fairness, equity and impartiality in the courtroom.
Anderson is running for the seat currently held by Judge Faye Chess, who is not seeking re-election. Judge Chess has endorsed Anderson’s campaign.
Anderson currently serves as a pro tem judge and magistrate in Seattle Municipal Court, where she presides over arraignments, pretrial hearings, motions, pleas and sentencings. In addition to her judicial service, Anderson has practiced law for more than a decade. She began her career as a public defender in Colorado and King County, handling cases ranging from misdemeanors and juvenile matters to homicides and appellate work. She currently practices civil law at Nicoll Black Altenbrun & Feig, a mid-sized firm with offices in Seattle and San Francisco.
“I am running for Seattle Municipal Court to ensure that the Court remains representative of the community that it serves. Municipal Court is often the first and most frequent point of contact people have with both the City’s elected officials as well as the criminal justice system as a whole,” Anderson said. “As a full-time Judge, my goal is to make anyone who steps through those doors feel welcome and seen. I will continue to commit to making decisions based on careful listening, sound judgment, and an understanding of how the court’s work impacts real lives, in real time.”
Anderson has also dedicated her career to service beyond the courtroom, including leadership with the National Black Law Students Association, mentorship through bar associations, and volunteer work focused on expanding access to justice. She is admitted to practice in Washington, Colorado, Alaska and multiple federal courts.
Judge Chess, who was appointed in 2018 and is not seeking re-election, has been widely recognized for advancing fairness, equity and accessibility in the court system. Chess and Anderson share Southern roots, a background Chess has said shaped her commitment to community and service.
“I became a judge because I wanted to have a direct role in ensuring that our court system is equitable, fair, and accessible to all people who walk through its doors,” Chess said. “Now it is time to hand that responsibility forward—to someone who I firmly believe has the experience, values, and commitment necessary to continue this important work. That person is Shantrice Anderson.”
In addition to Chess, Anderson has earned endorsements from Seattle Municipal Court Judges Willie Gregory, Cat McDowall and Andrea Chin; King County Superior Court Judge Haydee Vargas; and retired Poulsbo Municipal Court Judge Jeff Tolman.
“Through her law school years, her years as a public defender, and as a civil practitioner, Shantrice has shown integrity, high ethical standards and a profound sense of justice,” Tolman said. “She is an excellent lawyer and will be an excellent judge.”
Attorney Adam Heyman also praised Anderson’s temperament and character.
“Shantrice is smart, passionate, kind and fair. She works hard, is honest and cares about doing what is right, without taking sides. The people of Seattle will be lucky to have her as an SMC judge,” Heyman said.
A formative mentor in Anderson’s legal journey was the late David Armstrong, a Washington Court of Appeals judge who gifted her his personal gavel prior to his passing. The gavel is featured in her campaign logo as a reflection of her commitment to principled and fair justice.
Born into a Navy family and raised in communities across the United States and abroad, Anderson graduated with honors from Bremerton High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University and her law degree from Seattle University School of Law. She is the first person in her immediate family to earn a bachelor’s degree and the first in her family to attend law school.
Anderson lives in Seattle with her 15-pound Dachshund mix, Perry Mason, a rescue from San Antonio, Texas.
