Retired WA Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens dies at 75

SEATTLE - Former Washington Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens has died at age 75.

Justice Owens retired from her 44-year judicial career at the end of December 2024. She passed away in the morning on Friday, Mar. 28, while visiting family in California, according to a Washington State Courts announcement.

In the November 2000 election, Owens was elected to the Washington Supreme Court. This made her the seventh woman to serve on the court.

On Saturday, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson released a statement upon news of the justice's death.

"In my 12 years as AG, my legal team and I appeared before our state Supreme Court numerous times. During those years, we always had great respect for Justice Owens. She was a careful and caring jurist who served on our highest court for 24 years. She will be missed," the governor said.

Justice Owens previously served for 19 years as a judge on the Clallam County District Court before being elected to the court. There, she was the first woman to hold a judicial position.

What they're saying:

Colleagues of Owens spoke about the longtime justice's work in Washington.

Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens spoke on Owens' legacy, stating, "Justice Owens was a true original and a good friend. Though she had been in declining health recently, she never lost her wit, her humor and her strong sense of justice. The world will not be the same without her in it."

Justice Barbara Madsen, who served alongside Owens on the Supreme Court, said, "Susan made a positive difference in people’s lives, on and off the bench. She was so genuine and easy to love. Her family, friends and the people she touched through her work and in the community will feel her loss deeply."

Dig deeper:

Owens was known for her work on rural and tribal courts, along with judicial education on domestic violence cases.

The justice founded the Rural Courts Committee of Washington’s District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association. She also taught on the subject of rural courts at the state’s Judicial College and served as a part-time chief judge for both the Quileute Tribe for five years and the Lower Elwha S'Klallam Tribe for more than six years.

Additionally, Washington State Courts reports she was active in Washington’s Tribal State Court Consortium and went on to join multiple committees to become a national trainer on the topic of domestic violence.

Before her 2024 retirement, Justice Ownes spoke on the education and handling of domestic violence cases, saying "people were being injured…It needed changing. We all needed education."

Owens became the first woman on the Supreme Court to serve until the mandatory judicial retirement age of 75.

What's next:

The Washington Supreme Court will be planning a memorial for Owens, Chief Justice Stephens said.

The Source: Information for this article comes from Washington State Courts and Governor Bob Ferguson.