James M. Johnson at a glance
- Current role
- Former Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Washington · State
- Judicial service
- Former
James M. Johnson
Former Judge · Supreme Court of Washington
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Washington Supreme Court, 2005-present
- James M. Johnson (full name James Martin Johnson) was an Associate Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court from 2005 until his resignation in April 2014
- Johnson drew attention in 2010 when he appeared to agree with Justice Richard B. Sanders’ view that socio-economic factors, not institutional racism, explain racial disparities in incarceration rates in Washington
- In 1993, Johnson entered private practice, and worked in this capacity until elected to the Washington Supreme Court in 2004
- From 1973 to 1993, Johnson worked in the Washington Attorney General’s Office, first as Assistant Attorney General for the Fish and Wildlife Division, then as Counsel for the Environment
- Johnson's first position in the legal profession was Washington State's Assistant Attorney General
Education
- B.A. in economics from Harvard University
- University of Washington School of Law — J.D.
Additional information
- Practitioner, 2004-2004
- First elected to the court in 2004.
- This was during a debate over budget cuts to a court committee on race, where a court employee had claimed institutional racism was the sole cause.
- Before law school, he served two years in the U.S. Army’s Ninth Infantry Division, including as a Top Secret control officer and Dive Team commander.
- He spent twenty years in this capacity, heading first the Fish and Wildlife Division, and later, the Special Litigation Division.
- In this role, he led major litigation against hydro and nuclear power projects to protect fish, wildlife, and environmental safety, and handled significant elections-related constitutional cases.
- He later ran a private practice in Olympia specializing in constitutional law and ballot initiatives, including the “top-two” primary initiative authored for the Washington State Grange, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Johnson was a lifelong Washingtonian, born in Seattle and attending Ingraham High School.
- Johnson lived in Olympia with his wife Kathleen, had two daughters, and enjoyed hobbies such as scuba diving, sailboat racing, cycling, hunting, and opera.
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 ↗
Sources
Identity source checked August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
Washington Supreme Court current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 2026
View Washington Supreme Court current judicial profile ↗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 ↗