Ron Costeck at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Washington · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Ron Costeck
Judge · Island County - District Court
Biography
Professional career
- Since June 1, 2024, Judge Costeck has held the role of Presiding Judge for the Island County District & Municipal Court
- Private practice: Partner at Powers & Costeck PLLC since 2005; practiced civil and criminal law in Island, Skagit, and San Juan counties for 13 years
- Judge Ronald A. Costeck is the Presiding Judge of Island County’s District & Municipal Court, appointed in June 2024 after a unanimous selection by Island County Commissioners.
- Academic work: Adjunct professor at Temple University (PA) and at several Washington state colleges
Education
- J.D. (University of Memphis, 1995).
- B.A. in Finance & Economics (McMaster University, 1991)
Additional information
- Legal career start: 1998.
- Prosecution: Deputy prosecuting attorney for Grays Harbor and Skagit counties, and for the City of Bellingham.
- overseeing criminal and civil cases in the county’s courts.
- Community impact: recognizing the high volume of cases in District Court (three times that of Superior Court) and addressing their effect on residents.
- Before this, he had been a District & Municipal Court commissioner for six years, holding the same authority as a judge in Oak Harbor, Langley, Coupeville, and Island County.
- Costeck views District Court as a community court focused on quality‐of‐life issues — from protection orders and infractions to civil disputes with contractors, landlords, and neighbors.
- Judge Costeck and his family reside on Whidbey Island, are active in St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Freeland, WA, and are involved in local Rotary and court committees.
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
Island County - District Court
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 July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 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 ↗