Raquel Montoya-Lewis

Raquel Devahl Montoya-Lewis (born April 3, 1968) is an American attorney and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court. She was nominated by Governor Jay Inslee on December 4, 2019, to fill the seat of retiring justice Mary Fairhurst.

Raquel Montoya-Lewis
Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
Assumed office
January 6, 2020
Nominated byJay Inslee
Preceded byMary Fairhurst
Personal details
Born
Raquel Devahl Montoya

(1968-04-03) April 3, 1968
Spain
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of New Mexico (BA)
University of Washington (MSW, JD)

Early life and education

Montoya-Lewis was born in Spain, where her father was stationed in the United States Air Force.[1] Raised in New Mexico, she is a member of the Pueblo of Isleta and descended from the Pueblo of Laguna.[2] Montoya-Lewis and her mother, who was born in Australia, are Jewish.[3][4]

Montoya-Lewis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico, a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington, and Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law.[5]

Career

Montoya-Lewis was a professor at Fairhaven College of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. From 2008 to 2011 she was chief judge of the Lummi Nation. She also served as chief judge for the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe and the Nooksack Indian Tribe, and served as a trial and appellate judge for numerous tribes around the country.[6] She served on the Whatcom County Superior Court from 2015 to 2020, after being appointed to that seat by Governor Inslee in December 2014; she retained her seat through two elections in 2015 and 2016[6][7] She assumed office on the Washington Supreme Court on January 6, 2020. She is the second Native American person to sit on a state supreme court and the first enrolled tribal member.[8]

On November 3, 2020, she was elected for a six-year term, after running against Federal Way municipal court judge Dave Larson, and winning 58 percet of the vote, to his 41 percent.[9]

See also

References
  1. Camden, Jim (December 4, 2019). "Raquel Montoya-Lewis named as first Native American to Washington Supreme Court". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  2. Burack, Emily. "Native American Jewish justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis explains how to make history". Times of Israel. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  3. Burack, Emily (January 7, 2020). "Meet Washington's First Native American Jewish Supreme Court Justice, Raquel Montoya-Lewis". Kveller.com. 70/FACES Media. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  4. Emily Burack (February 5, 2020). "Native American Jewish justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis tells us how she made history". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
  5. "Washington State Courts - Supreme Court Bios - Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis". www.courts.wa.gov. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  6. Schwartz, Ralph (January 13, 2015). "Whatcom County's first Native American judge to be sworn in Friday". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  7. "Native American to be sworn in as Whatcom County judge". The Washington Times. January 14, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  8. Burack, Emily. "State of Washington swears in first Native American-Jewish Supreme Court justice". Times of Israel. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  9. "November 3, 2020 General Election Results - Supreme Court - Justice Position #03 County Breakdown". results.vote.wa.gov. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
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