Anita Crawford-Willis
WA · Presiding Judge, Seattle Municipal Court
Anita Crawford-Willis is the presiding judge of Seattle Municipal Court, where she has served since 2017. She was earlier a public defender and an administrative law judge, and she helped launch the court's Connection Court for people who need services.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 8 records
Was endorsed by the 36th Legislative District Democrats for Seattle Municipal Court Judge, Position 4, in the 2026 election.
May 17, 2026
Source: 36th.org
As presiding judge, issued an order sending a challenge to a Delta-9 THC blood test to a three-judge panel. The panel was to decide whether results from the test are reliable enough to use in criminal cases.
September 15, 2025
Source: courts.seattle.gov
Signed a ruling by a Seattle Municipal Court judge panel that refused to throw out breath-alcohol results from the Draeger Alcotest 9510 machine. About 95 DUI cases were joined in the challenge, and the ruling set citywide precedent.
January 3, 2023
Source: seattle.gov
Won re-election to Seattle Municipal Court Judge, Position 4, with no opponent on the ballot. She received 198,771 votes, or 99.18 percent; the rest were write-ins.
November 8, 2022
Source: results.vote.wa.gov
Won election to Seattle Municipal Court Judge, Position 4, with no opponent on the ballot. She received 221,299 votes.
November 6, 2018
Source: results.vote.wa.gov
Was endorsed by MLK Labor, the King County labor council, for Seattle Municipal Court Position 4 in 2018.
June 13, 2018
Source: mlklabor.org
Was endorsed by all nine justices of the Washington State Supreme Court in her 2018 race for Seattle Municipal Court Position 4.
April 11, 2018
Source: seattlemedium.com
The Seattle City Council confirmed her appointment as Seattle Municipal Court Judge, Position 4. The council's public safety committee had approved the appointment four days earlier.
January 9, 2017
Source: seattle.legistar.com
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 4 favorable
Was re-elected presiding judge by a majority of the court's judges for 2027 and 2028. In her first term, the court hired and trained 12 substitute judges and grew its magistrate team from five to six.
October 2, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: courts.seattle.gov
Served as president of the District and Municipal Court Judges' Association, the statewide group for these judges. At an October 2025 meeting, she thanked state lawmakers for a law letting Seattle hire substitute judges who live outside the city.
October 23, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: courts.seattle.gov
Was elected presiding judge of Seattle Municipal Court by a majority of the court's seven judges, for 2025 and 2026. The presiding judge manages the court and assigns cases to judges.
October 4, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: courts.seattle.gov
Received the Washington State Bar Association's Outstanding Judge Award. The bar cited her work expanding the court's resource center, which connects people to community services.
September 23, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: wsba.org
Past race Anita Crawford-Willis ran in:
- Seattle Municipal Court Judge Position No. 4 · November 3, 2026 · Seattle city, Washington · incumbent