--- title: "Debra L. Stephens | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/debra-l-stephens-chief-justice-supreme-court-2351-wa" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-22" --- # Debra L. Stephens Supreme Court of Washington · Chief Justice ## Profile - Court: Supreme Court of Washington - State: Washington - Role: Chief Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Her current term as Chief Justice began in January 2025 and will conclude in 2029 - Judge, Washington Supreme Court, 2008-present - Chief Justice — 2020–2021 - Before her Supreme Court appointment, Stephens served as a judge for Division Three of the Washington Court of Appeals, appointed and later elected unopposed in 2007 - staff attorney for U.S. District Judge Fred Van Sickle — 1993–1995, then entered private practice - taught as an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University School of Law, covering constitutional law, community property, appellate advocacy, and legal research - She made history as the first judge from Division Three of the Court of Appeals and the first woman from Eastern Washington to serve on the state’s highest court ### Education - Gonzaga University School of Law, graduating summa cum laude — J.D. (1993) - Gonzaga University — B.A. (1987) ### Additional information - She has been re-elected three times (2008, 2014, 2020) and is currently running for re-election in 2026 - Appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court in December 2007 by Governor Christine Gregoire and took office on January 1, 2008 - Practitioner, 2007-2007 - prof, 2007-2007 - Date of birth: 1965-01-01 - practiced law in Spokane - West Valley High School - focusing on appellate practice, and appeared as counsel over 125 times before the Washington State Supreme Court, as well as in the Idaho Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court - Stephens has a long record of public service and civic engagement, including over a decade as a school board director, leadership roles in the Rotary Club, and volunteer mentoring for programs like Upward Bound - She has contributed to judicial education nationally and internationally, working with USAID to train foreign judges on judicial independence and the rule of law - She co-chairs the Washington Board for Judicial Administration and serves on committees for the National and International Association of Women Judges - Birth place: Spokane ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### photography recording Scope: 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. Evidence excerpt: 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 judge [Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media](https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/pdf/GR/GA_GR_16_00_00.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### limitations on recording Scope: statewide If a Washington judge limits courtroom photography or recording, GR 16 requires particularized findings on the record and treats open access as presumed. Evidence excerpt: Open access is presumed; limitations on access must be supported by reasons found by the judge to be sufficiently compelling to outweigh that presumption [Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media](https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/pdf/GR/GA_GR_16_00_00.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supremecourt/?fa=supremecourt.justices) - [Official roster](https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supremecourt/?fa=supremecourt.justices) - [Washington State Courts official judicial roster](https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supremecourt/?fa=supremecourt.justices) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6003/debra-l-stephens/) - [Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media](https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/pdf/GR/GA_GR_16_00_00.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6003/debra-l-stephens/) - [Wikidata: Debra L. Stephens](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5248486) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/debra-l-stephens-chief-justice-supreme-court-2351-wa", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/debra-l-stephens-chief-justice-supreme-court-2351-wa", "name": "Debra L. Stephens | KnowJudges", "description": "Debra L. Stephens, Supreme Court of Washington. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-22", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/debra-l-stephens-chief-justice-supreme-court-2351-wa#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/debra-l-stephens-chief-justice-supreme-court-2351-wa#judge", "name": "Debra L. 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Stephens", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/debra-l-stephens-chief-justice-supreme-court-2351-wa" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Washington GR 16, Courtroom Photography and Recording by the News Media](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-7133c6bd26c80972b86e0d31) — 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](https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/pdf/GR/GA_GR_16_00_00.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26.