Appointed by Jay Inslee Full Name Mary Isabel Yu Preceded by James M. Johnson Name Mary Yu | Appointed by Gary Locke Role Justice Preceded by Janice Niemi | |
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Alma mater Dominican University (B.A.)
Mundelein of Loyola University (M.A.)
Notre Dame Law School (J.D.) Education Notre Dame Law School, Dominican University, Loyola University Chicago | ||
Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu Addresses CWU
Mary Isabel Yu (born 1957) is an Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court and former judge of the King County Superior Court. She is the state’s first openly gay Justice, the first Asian American Justice, the first Latina Justice, she is also the 6th woman currently serving and the 11th woman ever to serve on Washington state’s Supreme Court.
Contents
- Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu Addresses CWU
- Power and destiny mary yu tedxwashingtoncorrectionscenterforwomen
- Early life and education
- Legal career and judicial service
- Appointment to Washington Supreme Court
- Personal
- Awards
- References
Power and destiny mary yu tedxwashingtoncorrectionscenterforwomen
Early life and education
Yu was born in Chicago, Illinois to a Chinese father and Mexican mother. She graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1975. Yu then attended Dominican University and graduated in 1979 with a degree in theology. In 1989, Yu earned a graduate degree in theology from Mundelein of Loyola University.
After completing her undergraduate education, Yu went to work for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. She was initially hired by Rev. Francis J. Kane as a secretary for the Office of Peace and Justice for the Archdiocese of Chicago, but eventually rose to become director of the Office of Peace and Justice.
Yu enrolled at Notre Dame Law School in 1990. She graduated with her law degree in 1993.
Legal career and judicial service
In 1999, King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng named Yu as his deputy chief of staff.
In 2000, Washington Governor Gary Locke appointed Yu to replace retiring judge Janice Niemi on the King County Superior Court.
Yu was considered a leading contender to replace Justice Bobbe Bridge on the Washington Supreme Court when Bridge retired in December 2007. Ultimately, Governor Christine Gregoire appointed Debra L. Stephens to fill the vacancy.
On December 9, 2012, at midnight, Mary Yu officiated the first same-sex marriages in Washington state. Judge Yu's name (coincidentally pronounced as "marry you") was deemed "the perfect name for the job" by The Stranger columnist Dominic Holden.
Appointment to Washington Supreme Court
On May 1, 2014, it was announced that Judge Yu was appointed by Washington Governor Jay Inslee to the Washington Supreme Court, making her the first openly LGBTQ member of the court, in addition to the first Latina-American and Asian-American. She is the 11th woman to serve on the Washington Supreme Court (and one of six currently serving), the first person of Asian descent, the third person of Hispanic descent, and the first Hispanic woman. Yu, who is openly gay, is also the first LGBT person to hold this position. Yu is one of twelve LGBT state supreme court justices currently serving in the United States.
She was sworn in on May 20, 2014 as an Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court. Justice Yu ran unopposed in 2015 to complete the term and was the highest "vote getter" in the State.
Personal
Yu resides in Seattle and in Olympia.
Awards
Judge Yu is a Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Seattle University School of Law.
Judge Yu was the recipient of the 2014 "Judge of the Year" Award from the Washington Association for Justice; the 2014 Betty B. Fletcher Judge of the Year Award from Washington Women Layers, King County Chapter; 2013 Municipal League Foundation "Public Official of the Year" award; 2013 Latina/o Amicus Award from Seattle University School of Law Latina/o Law Student Association; 2012 “President’s Award” from the Asian Bar Association of Washington; the 2012 “Difference Makers Award” from the American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division; the 2011 “Judge of the Year” award from the Washington State Bar Association (shared with Judge Gonzalez); 2011 Seattle Girls’ School Grace Hopper Award; the 2009 Norm Maleng Award from the Washington State Bar Association; the 2008 “Judge of the Year” award from the Asian Bar Association; the 2008 President’s Award from Washington Women Lawyers; the 2006 “Model of Excellence” Award from the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington; the 2005, “Judge of the Year” award from the American Board of Trial Advocates, Washington Chapter (ABOTA); and the 2005 Reah Whitehead Public Leadership Award from Seattle University School of Law.