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Colleen Melody

Nonpartisan · WA · Justice of the Washington Supreme Court

Official website

Colleen Melody has served as a justice of the Washington Supreme Court since January 1, 2026, following her appointment by Governor Bob Ferguson. She previously led the Washington Attorney General's Civil Rights Division for 11 years and earlier worked as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She is running to retain Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 1 in the 2026 primary.

Track record

Women's Reproductive Rights

· 1 record

  • Colleen Melody was among the Washington Attorney General's attorneys handling a multistate challenge to federal mifepristone restrictions when a federal judge entered a preliminary injunction preserving access to the medication in the plaintiff jurisdictions.

    April 7, 2023For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

Civil Rights

· 8 records

  • Colleen Melody signed the Washington Supreme Court's open letter committing the court to examine and rectify precedent and practices that dehumanize Indigenous people in state legal systems.

    June 5, 2026For

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody delivered oral argument for Washington in litigation against Sunnyside. The Washington Supreme Court upheld the Attorney General's authority to challenge local-government civil-rights violations and allowed nearly all of the state's claims to proceed.

    June 20, 2024For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody handled Washington's civil-rights case against Pasco-area agricultural companies that resolved through a $470,000 settlement over allegations of sexual abuse and harassment of female farmworkers.

    June 17, 2024For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the federal government's attempt to end DACA. Washington credited Colleen Melody with presenting oral argument in the district court and said the Wing Luke Civil Rights Division played a key role in the multistate case.

    June 18, 2020For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody and Patricio Marquez led Washington's civil-rights case against Horning Brothers, which resolved through a $525,000 settlement addressing allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against farmworkers.

    October 18, 2018For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody was among the Washington Attorney General's attorneys handling litigation against the transgender military-service ban when a federal judge entered a preliminary injunction blocking the ban.

    December 11, 2017For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody was among the Washington Attorney General's attorneys handling Washington's challenge to the first Trump administration travel ban when a federal court entered a nationwide temporary restraining order halting key provisions.

    February 3, 2017For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody served as counsel for the United States in a religious-land-use case against the City of Lomita. The agreed order required the city to reconsider a mosque application on an expedited schedule and imposed training, notice, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.

    March 8, 2013For

    Source: justice.gov · researched July 13, 2026

General

· 2 records

  • Colleen Melody's campaign published endorsements from sitting and retired Washington Supreme Court justices, other judges and elected officials, tribes, labor organizations, Democratic organizations, and advocacy groups including Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.

    July 9, 2026

    Source: melodyforjustice.com · researched July 13, 2026

  • Governor Bob Ferguson appointed Colleen Melody to the Washington Supreme Court to fill the vacancy created by Justice Mary Yu's retirement.

    November 24, 2025

    Source: governor.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

Integrity and Ethics

· 2 records

  • Colleen Melody signed the Washington Supreme Court majority in In re Disciplinary Proceeding Against Feyissa, which ordered disbarment after finding multiple professional-misconduct violations involving false evidence and deception.

    June 11, 2026

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Public records showed Colleen Melody attended a Washington Attorney General legislative office-hours meeting with state Senator Jamie Pedersen. A litigation group later argued the meeting could require recusal in future tax litigation; the Attorney General's Office said the meeting concerned SB 5925 rather than the millionaire-tax bill, and the reporting identified no formal ethics finding or recusal ruling.

    September 9, 2025

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

Legal Competence

· 9 records

  • Colleen Melody signed the Washington Supreme Court majority in In re Disciplinary Proceeding Against Feyissa, which ordered disbarment after finding multiple professional-misconduct violations involving false evidence and deception.

    June 11, 2026For

    Source: courts.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody delivered oral argument for Washington in litigation against Sunnyside. The Washington Supreme Court upheld the Attorney General's authority to challenge local-government civil-rights violations and allowed nearly all of the state's claims to proceed.

    June 20, 2024For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody handled Washington's civil-rights case against Pasco-area agricultural companies that resolved through a $470,000 settlement over allegations of sexual abuse and harassment of female farmworkers.

    June 17, 2024For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody was among the Washington Attorney General's attorneys handling a multistate challenge to federal mifepristone restrictions when a federal judge entered a preliminary injunction preserving access to the medication in the plaintiff jurisdictions.

    April 7, 2023For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the federal government's attempt to end DACA. Washington credited Colleen Melody with presenting oral argument in the district court and said the Wing Luke Civil Rights Division played a key role in the multistate case.

    June 18, 2020For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody and Patricio Marquez led Washington's civil-rights case against Horning Brothers, which resolved through a $525,000 settlement addressing allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against farmworkers.

    October 18, 2018For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody was among the Washington Attorney General's attorneys handling litigation against the transgender military-service ban when a federal judge entered a preliminary injunction blocking the ban.

    December 11, 2017For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody was among the Washington Attorney General's attorneys handling Washington's challenge to the first Trump administration travel ban when a federal court entered a nationwide temporary restraining order halting key provisions.

    February 3, 2017For

    Source: atg.wa.gov · researched July 13, 2026

  • Colleen Melody served as counsel for the United States in a religious-land-use case against the City of Lomita. The agreed order required the city to reconsider a mosque application on an expedited schedule and imposed training, notice, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.

    March 8, 2013For

    Source: justice.gov · researched July 13, 2026

Elections

Profile last researched July 13, 2026.