--- title: "G. Helen Whitener | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/g-helen-whitener-justice-supreme-court-8882-wa" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-22" --- # G. Helen Whitener Supreme Court of Washington · Justice ## Profile - Court: Supreme Court of Washington - State: Washington - Role: Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## 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) - [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) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/g-helen-whitener-justice-supreme-court-8882-wa", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/g-helen-whitener-justice-supreme-court-8882-wa", "name": "G. 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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. ## 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.