G. Helen Whitener at a glance
- Current role
- Justice
- Jurisdiction
- Washington · State
- Judicial service
- Active
G. Helen Whitener
Justice · Supreme Court of Washington
Biography
Professional career
- On April 13, 2020, Whitener was appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court, succeeding Justice Charles K. Wiggins, and she won election later that year and again in 2022
- Began her legal career as a public defender, prosecutor, and private defense attorney, later becoming managing partner of Whitener Rainey Writt PS
- Helen Whitener’s career reflects a commitment to justice, equity, and accessibility
- representing diverse communities and advancing reforms in both civil rights and disability justice
- Her upbringing in a multicultural environment shaped her perspective on justice and equity
- She held the role of a pro-tem judge in Pierce County District Court and Tacoma Municipal Court, and as a judge on the Washington State Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals
- Whitener serves on the Washington Supreme Court and is the fourth immigrant-born justice in the state
- She has a hereditary degenerative back condition and has been a strong advocate for disability justice, leading initiatives to improve accessibility in courts
Education
- Whitener has received numerous honors, including the 2025 Anshel Ma’asehi Award of Distinction, 2022 Honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Puget Sound, the American Bar Association Stonewall Award, and recognition as Public Official of the Year by The Evergreen State College.
- Bachelor of Business Administration in international marketing and trade from Baruch College
- Seattle University School of Law — J.D.
Additional information
- In 2015, she was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Pierce County Superior Court, where she served until 2020.
- Helen Whitener was born in 1964 in Trinidad and Tobago and moved to the United States at age 16 for medical care.
- Her historic appointment and ongoing advocacy make her a trailblazer in the judiciary
- She is married to Lynn Rainey, a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major and LGBTQ activist.
- She has also been recognized for her contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession.
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
Supreme Court of Washington
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 August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
Washington State Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 2026
View Washington State 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 ↗