Mary Fairhurst
Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
In office
January 9, 2017 – January 5, 2020
Preceded byBarbara Madsen
Succeeded byDebra L. Stephens
Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court
In office
January 13, 2003 – January 5, 2020
Preceded byCharles Z. Smith
Succeeded byRaquel Montoya-Lewis
Personal details
Born
Mary Elizabeth Fairhurst

(1957-08-13)August 13, 1957
Pendleton, Oregon, U.S.
DiedDecember 28, 2021(2021-12-28) (aged 64)
Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Domestic partnerBob Douglas
EducationGonzaga University (BA, JD)

Mary Elizabeth Fairhurst[1] (August 13, 1957 — December 28, 2021) was an American attorney and jurist who served as a justice and chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court.[2]

Early life and education

A native of Olympia, Washington, Fairhurst earned her undergraduate degree in political science from Gonzaga University in 1979, graduating cum laude.[3] In 1984, she earned her Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law, graduating magna cum laude.[3]

Career

Fairhurst served in the Attorney General of Washington's office under Christine Gregoire and Ken Eikenberry. Fairhurst worked on a constitutional amendment to increase the rights of crime victims. She also organized statewide conferences on domestic violence.

Fairhurt joined the Washington Supreme Court after a successful election in 2003. In 2008, she won re-election against Michael J. Bond. On November 4, 2016, it was announced that Fairhurst had been elected Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court.[4][5]

Fairhurst served as the president of the Washington State Bar Association.[6] She also served on the Bar Board of Governors representing Washington's 3rd congressional district and as the President of the Washington Women Lawyers.

In October 2018, Fairhurst wrote the majority opinion on a ruling to abolish state's death penalty.[7][8] In 2019, Fairhurst received the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Ninth Circuit at the Judicial Conference of the Ninth Circuit in Spokane, Washington.[9]

Retirement and death

In October 2019, Fairhurst announced that she would retire from the court in January 2020, citing health concerns.[10] On December 4, 2019, Governor Jay Inslee nominated Raquel Montoya-Lewis to succeed Fairhurst. Montoya-Lewis is the first Native American to serve on the Washington Supreme Court.[11][12]

In 2020, Fairhurst received the Charles A. Goldmark Distinguished Service Award.[13] On August 22, 2020, Fairhurst became the seventh Lynn Allen Award recipient.[14]

Fairhurst died from cancer in Olympia, Washington, on December 28, 2021, at the age of 64.[15][1] She had been treated for colon cancer starting in 2008.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Retired Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary E. Fairhurst passes away at 64". Washington Courts. December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  2. ↑ Re-Elect Justice Mary Fairhurst - About Mary, archived from the original on March 16, 2012, retrieved August 2, 2008
  3. 1 2 "Thoughts and Prayers for the Honorable Mary Fairhurst | Gonzaga University". www.gonzaga.edu. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mary Fairhurst elected chief justice of state Supreme Court". The Seattle Times. November 4, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Washington State Courts - Supreme Court Bios - Justice Mary E. Fairhurst". Courts.wa.gov. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Washington State Courts - Supreme Court Bios - Chief Justice Mary E. Fairhurst". www.courts.wa.gov. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  7. ↑ Note, Recent Case: Washington State Supreme Court Declares Death Penalty Unconstitutional In Washington, 132 Harv. L. Rev. 1764 (2019).
  8. ↑ State v. Gregory, 427 P.3d 621 (Wash. 2018).
  9. ↑ "Chief Justice Mary e. Fairhurst to Receive the 2019 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Ninth Circuit". Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst will retire to focus on her health". The Seattle Times. October 3, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst to retire after colon cancer diagnosis". KING. October 3, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Raquel Montoya-Lewis named as first Native American to Washington Supreme Court | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  13. ↑ https://legalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Award-History-and-Recipients_rev-2019-1.pdf
  14. ↑ "Mary Fairhurst honored with Lynn Allen Award at NPI's Summer Anniversary Picnic". NPI's Cascadia Advocate. August 24, 2020.
  15. ↑ Sowersby, Shauna (December 29, 2021). "Former Chief Justice of Washington Supreme Court has died of cancer at 64". The News Tribune.
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