W. Brent Basden at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Washington · State
- Judicial service
- Active
W. Brent Basden
Judge · Clallam County - Superior Court
Biography
Professional career
- He became presiding judge of the court in 2020 and previously held the role of a family court commissioner since 2008.
- Judge of the Clallam County Superior Court in Washington State, appointed by Governor Jay R. Inslee in 2018 to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Hon. Christopher Melly
- Partner at Basden & Hansen, PLLC
Education
- BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School, managing editor of the Law Review — J.D. (1994)
- B.A. in Communications (Brigham Young University, 1991)
Additional information
- handling family, criminal, and civil cases before judicial appointment.
- Basden’s official address is 223 E 4th St, Ste 8, Port Angeles, WA 98362, and his court phone is 360‐504‐1386.
- Raised in Clallam County; married to Charline; seven children.
- Civic roles: Board member of Clallam County Pro Bono Lawyers Association; past president of Clallam County Bar Association; active in youth sports and Boy Scouts; stake president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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
Clallam County - Superior 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 ↗