Gov. Gregoire appoints Monica Benton to King County Superior Court

For Immediate Release: January 25, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today appointed Monica Benton to a judgeship on King County Superior Court.

Benton, 53, has been a United States magistrate judge for the Western District of Washington since 2000. Prior to that, she was a judge in King County District Court and a senior deputy prosecuting attorney for King County.

�Ms. Benton will bring very diverse legal experience to the court,� Gregoire said. �While serving in District Court, she�s seen the unique perspective of people who have come before what many people call the people�s court. She will be a great addition to the King County Superior Court.�

U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik lauded the appointment.

�Judge Benton is an excellent judge with great judicial demeanor,� he said. �She possesses a tremendous sense of justice and has done wonderful work in the community.�

Benton also has served as a senior attorney for the American Prosecutors Institute, trial attorney in the criminal division of the Department of Justice, governmental relations director for the National District Attorney Association, a deputy prosecuting attorney for King County, and law clerk to federal Judge Jack Tanner.

She earned her law degree from Southwestern University School of Law. She was rated exceptionally well qualified by the King County Bar Association. She was the first African-American magistrate judge for the Western District of Washington.

Benton has been the recipient of the Vanguard Award from the King County Chapter of Women Lawyers and the Norm Early Founders Award from the National Black Prosecutors Association. The Seattle University School of Law named her Woman of the Year in 2004.

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