Helen Whitener

Grace Helen Whitener (born 1964/1965) is a Trinidadian-American attorney and jurist who serves as an Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court. Whitener was nominated by Governor Jay Inslee on April 13, 2020, to fill the seat of retiring justice Charles K. Wiggins.[1]

Helen Whitener
Whitener in April 2017
Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
Assumed office
April 13, 2020
Appointed byJay Inslee
Preceded byCharles K. Wiggins
Personal details
Born
Grace Helen Whitener

1964/1965 (age 56–57)
Trinidad and Tobago
EducationBaruch College (BBA)
Seattle University (JD)

Early life and education

Whitener was born and raised in Trinidad. She moved to the United States when she was 16 to receive medical care. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in International Marketing and Trade from Baruch College, followed by a Juris Doctor from the Seattle University School of Law.[2]

After graduating from law school, Whitener worked as a public defender, prosecutor, and private defense attorney.[3]

State judicial service

She served as a judge on the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals for two years and then on the Pierce County Superior Court from 2015 to 2020, having been appointed by Governor Inslee and elected unopposed in 2015 and 2016.[4][5]

Washington Supreme Court

On April 13, 2020, she was appointed to the Washington Supreme Court by Governor Jay Inslee.[6] She successfully ran for election in 2020 for the remaining two years of Wiggins's term,[4][7] winning 66% of the vote.[8]

Personal life

She is the first Black LGBTQ judge in Washington[1] and second Black member of the Washington Supreme Court after Charles Z. Smith. She is disabled.[9][10] She is co-chair of the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission.[4]

Whitner is married to Lynn Rainey, a fellow graduate of the Seattle University School of Law and LGBTQ activist.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Judge G. Helen Whitener appointed to state Supreme Court". AP NEWS. April 13, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  2. "You can go home again: Judge G. Helen Whitener speaks up for human rights in her birth country of Trinidad : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  3. Staff, Tacoma Weekly (October 26, 2017). "Judge Whitener named keynote speaker for 2018 Black Women Rise Conference". Tacoma Weekly. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  4. "Pierce County Judge G. Helen Whitener named to Washington State Supreme Court". KING. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  5. "G. Helen Whitener". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  6. "Inslee appoints Judge G. Helen Whitener to the Washington State Supreme Court" (Press release). April 13, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  7. "Judge G. Helen Whitener appointed to the WA Supreme Court". MyNorthwest.com. April 13, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  8. Washington Secretary of State. "November 3, 2020 General Election Results: Supreme Court - Justice Position #06". Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  9. Stern, Mark Joseph (April 17, 2020). "Washington State Now Has the Most Diverse Supreme Court In History". Slate Magazine. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  10. "A New Supreme Court Justice Could Swing Criminal Justice Decisions in Washington". The Appeal Political Report. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  11. "Judge Helen Whitener '98 named Woman of the Year : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
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