Legal/Judicial Experience: Superior Court Judge; Municipal Court Judge; pro tem Superior Court Judge; District Court Civil Judge Pro Tem; Assistant City Attorney, Civil Division; Appellate Prosecutor; Acting City Prosecutor; Civil Litigation, private firm; 1992 Clerk Class, Arizona Court of Appeals.

Other Professional Experience: Judicial College:  Dean, Trustee, Faculty; Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee; Spokane Regional Law & Justice Council; MacArthur Foundation Safety & Justice Challenge Grant Site Team; Spokane County Bar Association:  Trustee & Volunteer Lawyer Program, Director; Contributor, Black’s Law Dictionary.

Education: Gonzaga University, B.S. 1988; Juris Doctorate, 1991.

Community Service: Gonzaga Preparatory HS, Director; Habitat for Humanity volunteer; Street Law Team-Teacher.   

Statement: The Governor appointed Judge Shelley Szambelan to Superior Court for good reasons. She has over 27 years of legal experience in a variety of complex areas of civil and criminal law, including over twelve years of judicial experience, counting pro tem work. Judge Szambelan has consistently received the highest judicial evaluation ratings from legal organizations.

In addition to bringing diversity to the bench, Judge Szambelan brings a strong work ethic and legal scholarship. She has appeared at all levels of Washington State and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.

Judge Shelley Szambelan is a respected, collaborative leader. Her hard work has helped to improve how people experience justice through innovative change, and thoughtful, systematic reforms. She consistently treats all people fairly with dignity and respect.

Judge Shelley Szambelan’s work and fairness over the years has resulted in endorsements from both sides who appear before her: the County and City Prosecutors; the County and City Public Defenders; the County Sheriff; prominent civil and criminal defense attorneys, as well as distinguished plaintiff and family law attorneys; established business owners, as well as Labor. Judicial experience matters: She is the only choice with more than a decade being a judge.