Michael E. Johnston at a glance
- Current role
- Former Commissioner
- Jurisdiction
- Washington · State
- Judicial service
- Former
Michael E. Johnston
Former Commissioner · Supreme Court of Washington
Biography
Professional career
- held the role of Judge Pro Tem for Thurston County District Court since 2012
- Appointed in 2017 by the Washington Supreme Court justices, Johnston serves as the Supreme Court Commissioner, a position created in 1976
- Was Lead Staff Attorney in the Supreme Court Commissioner’s Office for 10 years
- held a position as an Assistant Attorney General in the Washington Office of the Attorney General’s Torts Division
- Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst described Johnston as committed to making timely, difficult decisions and well-versed in the work of the Supreme Court Commissioner’s Office
- Acting as a judicial officer for motions related to discretionary review of Court of Appeals decisions, original actions against state officers, and personal restraint petitions by prisoners
Education
- magna cum laude, Gonzaga University School of Law — J.D. (1998)
- University of Washington, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies — B.A. (1984)
Additional information
- Overseeing a central staff of attorneys and professional staff to ensure efficient case handling.
- Former Editor-in-Chief of the Gonzaga Law Review.
- Johnston himself has called the role “an essential resource for the Court, the legal community, and the citizens of Washington”.
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 State Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 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 ↗