Gov. Gregoire appoints Superior Court judge for King County

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2012

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced she will appoint Lori Kay Smith to the King County Superior Court. Smith is currently a King County Superior Court Commissioner and replaces Justice Steven C. Gonz�lez who was appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court effective January 1, 2012.

�Lori Kay has spent her career serving the citizens of King County, and has a tremendous track record of success,� Gregoire said. �Her professionalism, combined with her compassion, has earned the respect of her judicial colleagues and those who have stood before her. I welcome her to this new position.�

�I am very honored and humbled by my appointment to the King County Superior Court by Governor Gregoire,� said Smith. �I look forward to the opportunity to serve the citizens of King County. I am committed to increasing meaningful access to the court for litigants and will work hard to ensure they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. I will strive to uphold excellence and professionalism on the bench.�

Smith started her legal career with the King County Prosecuting Attorney�s Office in its Family Support Division, which establishes paternity and enforces responsibilities to pay for child support. She later became a senior deputy prosecuting attorney, managing legal teams responsible for these support enforcement cases. She also handled occasional civil commitment, welfare fraud and felony drug trials during the course of her more than 20 years with the King County Prosecuting Attorney�s Office.

In 2006, Smith was named King County Superior Court Commissioner, where she currently presides over domestic violence protection order hearings, family-law motions, support modification, domestic partnership and non-parental custody matters. She has also served as judge pro tem in family law trials.

�We are extremely pleased and excited that the Governor has appointed Court Commissioner Lori Kay Smith to the King County Superior Court,� said Presiding Judge Richard F. McDermott. �In the time she has served our Court as a Court Commissioner, Lori Kay has demonstrated that she is an excellent judicial officer, who is always prepared, diligent and thoughtful. She will make a wonderful addition to our Bench and we welcome her.�

Smith currently serves on a number of court committees, including the Unified Family Court Training Oversight Committee, the Court Safety Committee, the Interpreter Committee and the Juvenile Justice and Family Court Building Committee. She has been active in her community, volunteering as a YWCA Leaders in Progress Mentor and providing free legal help at the Angeline�s Women�s Shelter Legal Clinic.

Smith earned her bachelor�s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Washington University before graduating from the University of Washington School of Law in 1984.
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