Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday announced the appointment of Edmonds Municipal Court Judge Whitney M. Rivera to the Snohomish County Superior Court. She is appointed to replace Judge Anita Farris, who will retire from the bench effective April 30.

In November 2020, Rivera was appointed to serve as Edmonds Municipal Court judge. She successfully ran for a four-year term in 2021 to retain her seat. As the Edmonds Municipal Court presiding judge, Rivera is responsible for hearing all criminal matters, traffic infractions, and administrative appeals, as well as for leading the management of the court’s operations. In a news release announcing her Superior Court appointment, Inslee said that during her tenure, Rivera strengthened and built up the Community Court, which seeks to address many underlying issues that can cause an individual to become involved in the court system.

Prior to her current position as a judicial officer, Rivera served as a public defender with the Snohomish County Public Defender Association for over 12 years. In this role, she handled misdemeanor and felony cases, and also held a supervisory role in the misdemeanor unit. During her tenure as a public defender, she earned the respect of both her colleagues and opposing counsel. In addition, Rivera also served as an attorney for the Washington Appellate Project, representing indigent individuals on their direct appeals from convictions. Throughout her career, Rivera has been recognized by various organizations for her outstanding contributions, including the most recent Presidential Award in 2023 from the District and Municipal Court Judges Association.

Since 2021, Rivera has served on the Edmonds College Foundation Board where she has focused her volunteer efforts on student scholarships and staff grant requests. In 2022, she was appointed to the board of the Hazel Miller Foundation, which provides grants to organizations focused on a broad range of services, including education, youth services, diversity and poverty alleviation. In 2023, she was appointed to the Edmonds Food Bank board, which partners with the Edmonds Community Court to alleviate food insecurity.

“Whitney Rivera is a tireless, well-respected and experienced judicial officer and lawyer, and she is well prepared to serve the Snohomish County community in this role,” Inslee said “I’m pleased that she will bring her integrity, work ethic, experience and compassion to the Snohomish County Superior Court bench.”

Rivera earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington. She earned her law degree from Boston College Law School.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen — who is responsible for appointing Rivera’s replacement — thanked the judge “for her dedicated service to the people of Edmonds.” However, he said he doesn’t intend to fill the vacant judicial position immediately.