Tim Fennessy
A candidate for Superior Court Judge, position 11, Spokane County in the 2016 Washington General Election, Nov. 8
Age: 67
City: Spokane, Washington
Residence: Spokane
Education: Graduated Libby Senior High School 1975 in Libby, Montana. Earned bachelor’s in political science from Gonzaga in 1979. Earned law degree from Gonzaga Law School in 1983.
Work experience: Worked in civil law at a number of Spokane firms since 1983, practicing on issues of medical malpractice, construction law, personal injury claims, water rights, eminent domain and insurance defense. Worked at Layman Law Firm PLLP from 2010 to 2016, was named partner in 2014. Has been Spokane County Superior Court Judge since 2016, and is currently presiding judge.
Political experience: Elected to Spokane County Superior Court in 2016 and 2020.
Family: Married to Nelou Fennessy. Has two adult children.
Campaign finance: Has raised more than $56,000, as of Oct. 1, 2024, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission. Contributions include about $2,000 of his own money and donations from Armitage & Thompson, Judges Tony Hazel, Breean Beggs and Raymond Clary and multiple members of the Haghighi family, former owners of Fery Catering and his in-laws.
Contact information
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Fennessy | 96,890 | 54.85% |
| Greg Sypolt | 79,756 | 45.15% |
Related Coverage
Fennessy gets fast start to new career as Superior Court judge
While it may be difficult to be called a rookie at age 59, Tim Fennessy said his fellow judges have gone overboard make his transition easier to the Spokane County Superior Court bench.
Kerns, Fennessy still leading in close races
All four candidates involved in close races in Spokane County picked up more votes in Wednesday’s second count of ballots, but no one was able to make enough of a gain to change the outcome.
Spokane County Superior Court may have new judge
Early election results Tuesday night showed Judge Greg Sypolt, who’s been in office since 1996, losing to challenger Tim Fennessy, a civil attorney. Judge Linda Tompkins held on to her seat by a comfortable margin against challenger Ward Andrews.
Civil attorney Tim Fennessy challenges Judge Greg Sypolt
A Spokane County Superior Court judge who’s been on the bench for more than 20 years faces a challenge from an experienced civil attorney who thinks the county’s highest court needs new perspective. Judge Greg Sypolt, who was appointed in 1996, is running against Tim Fennessy, who believes the court would benefit from having more judges with civil case experience.