G. Helen Whitener
A candidate for Washington Supreme Court, Position 6, State of Washington in the 2020 Washington General Election, Nov. 3
Party: No party
Age: 59
City: University Place, Washington
Occupation: Incumbent Supreme Court justice
Education: Earned bachelor's degree in business administration and international marketing from Baruch College in New York in 1988. Earned law degree from Seattle University School of Law in 1998.
Work experience: Appointed to Washington State Supreme Court by Gov. Jay Inslee in April 2020. Previously served as Superior Court Judge in Pierce County, and as judge for the Washington State Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals from 2013-2015. Practiced law as a deputy prosecutor and defense attorney from 1999-2015.
Political experience: Elected to Pierce County Superior Court in 2015. Co-chair of the Washington State Minority & Justice Commission.
Family: Married to Lynn Rainey.
Contact information
Race Results
Candidate | Votes | Pct |
---|---|---|
G. Helen Whitener (N) | 2,263,513 | 66.50% |
Richard Serns (N) | 1,140,338 | 33.50% |
Related Coverage
Lincoln County labor dispute will be appealed to Washington Supreme Court; what does that mean for Spokane?
An appellate ruling last week largely left in place a conflict about whether local governments can required employees to bargain in public. The issue is now headed for the Washington Supreme Court, and the outcome could have ramifications for bargaining in Spokane County and the city of Spokane.
Whitener and Montoya-Lewis easily retain their Washington Supreme Court seats; Staab wins appeals court race
Spokane County voters cast ballots in three contested judicial races in this election. One is for a seat on the state’s Court of Appeals, and two are for seats on the Washington Supreme Court.
Washington Supreme Court says $30 tab initiative is unconstitutional
Don’t expect your license tabs to go down to $30 any time soon. A ballot measure to lower car tab fees and some other taxes for vehicles is unconstitutional, the state Supreme Court said today.
Supreme Court Justice Helen Whitener defends seat against former school administrator Richard Serns
Whitener was appointed to her seat in April by Gov. Jay Inslee, while Serns only recently passed the bar exam, qualifying him to run for the court under the state Constitution.
Washington Supreme Court: 5 county commissioner bill is constitutional
OLYMPIA – A law that expands the number of county commissioners in Spokane from three to five is constitutional, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a unanimous decision.
Hundreds become lawyers in Washington state without taking bar exam due to COVID-19 exemption
As a law student at Gonzaga University, Allison Drescher spent three years preparing for the bar examination – two consecutive days of multiple-choice questions and complicated essay prompts that test not only the legal wit of aspiring lawyers but also their mental stamina.
State Supreme Court upholds governor’s limited prison releases
OLYMPIA – A governor has broad powers during an emergency that includes deciding whether to release inmates from prisons and how many should be released, the Washington Supreme Court said Thursday.
Court considers fate of $30 car tabs initiative
OLYMPIA – A ballot measure that reduced most vehicle taxes and fees should be thrown out as misleading because the $30 tabs it promotes won’t exist and it’s guilty of “logrolling” by including more than one topic, attorneys for local governments opposing the proposal told the state Supreme Court Tuesday.
Inslee’s emergency orders within his authority, court commissioner says
Gov. Jay Inslee was within his authority to issue emergency orders in an attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a state Supreme Court commissioner said Thursday.
Washington Supreme Court tosses drug convictions for man searched by federal agents at Stevens County border crossing
The unanimous panel ruled that federal agents did not provide proper warning before arresting a man returning from a Canadian music festival at the border in August 2017. The case could have implications for how federal law enforcement officers work with local authorities in policing the U.S.-Canada border.