Brett Buckley at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Washington · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Brett Buckley
Judge · Thurston County - District Court
Biography
Professional career
- Presiding Judge, Thurston County District Court — appointed by the Board of Thurston County Commissioners in 2006
- M. Brett Buckley is the Presiding Judge of Thurston County District Court in Washington, also leading the county’s Mental Health Court and Veterans Court
- Presiding Judge, Thurston County Mental Health Court — serving for over 18 years, building on the program’s origins
- Presiding Judge, Thurston County Veterans Court — the first of its kind in Washington State, led since its launch 16 years ago
- Commandant’s List graduate of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School; held the role of Trial and Senior Defense Counsel in the U.S. Army
- He has shared that these programs “change lives one at a time” and have personally influenced his approach to justice
Education
- Lewis & Clark College Northwestern School of Law — J.D. (1980)
- Bowdoin College, A.B., cum laude
Additional information
- Outstanding Judge of the Year — Washington State Bar Association, 2019
- President’s Award — District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association, 2009
- Judge of the Year — Misdemeanant Corrections Association, 2008
- Strong advocate for therapeutic courts, which focus on treatment and rehabilitation rather than incarceration
- He has highlighted that Mental Health and Veterans Courts achieve recidivism rates of 5–15% compared to 55–60% in traditional courts, and that diverting participants from jail reduces daily incarceration costs by half
- held the role of a Thurston County District Court commissioner for 10 years; faculty member of the Washington State Judicial College
- Professional Roles: Former chair of the District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association Legislative Committee; member of the Board for Judicial Administration Court Security Committee; co-chair of Thurston County Court Security Committee; member of the Thurston County Domestic Violence Judicial Task Force
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Washington GR 16 allows video recording, audio recording, and still photography by the news media in courtrooms only after the judge has expressly granted permission.
Video and audio recording and still photography by the news media are allowed in the courtroom during and between sessions, provided (1) that permission shall have first been expressly granted by the judgeWashington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media ↗
Statewide
If a Washington judge limits courtroom photography or recording, GR 16 requires particularized findings on the record and treats open access as presumed.
Open access is presumed; limitations on access must be supported by reasons found by the judge to be sufficiently compelling to outweigh that presumptionWashington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media
Thurston County - District Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster ↗Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media ↗