Today, Mayor Ed Murray announced his nominations of Anita Crawford-Willis and Adam Eisenberg to fill two current vacancies on the Seattle Municipal Court. Mayor Murray’s selections follow the recommendations of four finalists vetted by the Seattle Municipal Court Selection Committee that included representatives from several local Minority Bar Organizations. The nominations, for terms expiring January 14, 2019, are subject to confirmation by City Council.

“Seattleites deserve thoughtful, passionate, and qualified judges on the Seattle Municipal Court,” said Mayor Murray, “Anita Crawford-Willis and Adam Eisenberg reflect these values and are committed to justice for all Seattle residents. They both bring judicial experience and have demonstrated throughout their careers a dedication to social and racial justice, diversity, and inclusion. I look forward to working with Council on moving these nominations forward. I would also like to thank David Perez, John Fetters, Chalia Stallings-Ala'ilima, and Abigail Caldwell for their diligent service on the selection committee.”

Anita Crawford-Willis will fill the Position 4 vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Judith Hightower. Crawford-Willis currently serves as an administrative law judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings in Seattle and serves as a judge pro tem on the Seattle Municipal Court. Crawford-Willis graduated from the Seattle University School of Law and began her career as a public defender. The hallmark of her career has been her leadership in mentoring and empowering students of color in their pursuit of careers in public service. She has been an active member of the King County legal community for the past 25 years and serves on the Board of Regents for Seattle University.

“Seattle Municipal Court is the highest volume court in the state and a judge on this court must be able to handle a variety of matters efficiently, without sacrificing a party’s rights,” said

Presiding Judge Karen Donohue of the Seattle Municipal Court. “Judge Crawford-Willis is uniquely qualified for the role by virtue of her experience in the courtroom as a public defender and judge pro tem, along with her work outside the courtroom mentoring women and young people of color pursuing careers in law. She will be an exceptional addition to our bench.”

Adam Eisenberg, who will fill the Position 6 vacancy created by Judge Steve Rosen’s election to the King County Superior Court, currently serves as a magistrate on the Seattle Municipal Court and teaches art and cultural property law at the University of Washington Museology graduate program. Prior to entering law, Eisenberg worked as a film and television journalist in Los Angeles and is a published non-fiction author. He earned his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law and served as a criminal prosecutor prior to being appointed commissioner and then magistrate judge on the Seattle Municipal Court. Eisenberg is an active member of the King County legal community and serves on the board of directors of Q-Law, an association of legal professionals dedicated to informing the public and courts on legal issues impacting the LGBTQ community. Eisenberg has also worked extensively on domestic violence issues outside the courtroom.

“Magistrate Eisenberg brings a wealth of life and legal experience that would make him an ideal judge for the Seattle Municipal Court,” said Barbara Madsen, Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. “I became personally acquainted with Adam through his work on domestic violence. He has worked tirelessly to educate members of the public and judiciary on the impacts of domestic violence and is deeply committed to social justice. Magistrate Eisenberg will bring an accomplished and broad perspective to the bench.”

Mr. Sumeer Singla and Judge Anne Harper will remain as finalists from which Mayor Murray may select from should new vacancies arise during the remainder of his term.