Raquel Montoya-Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raquel Montoya-Lewis
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| Justice of the Washington Supreme Court | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2020 |
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| Appointed by | Jay Inslee |
| Preceded by | Mary Fairhurst |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Raquel Devahl Montoya
April 3, 1968 Spain |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of New Mexico (BA) University of Washington (MSW, JD) |
Raquel Devahl Montoya-Lewis was born on April 3, 1968. She is an American lawyer and judge. She currently serves as a justice on the Washington Supreme Court. This is the highest court in Washington state. Governor Jay Inslee chose her for this important role on December 4, 2019. She took the place of Justice Mary Fairhurst, who was retiring.
Early Life and Education
Montoya-Lewis was born in Spain. Her father was serving in the United States Air Force there at the time. She grew up in New Mexico. She is a member of the Pueblo of Isleta tribe. She also has family from the Pueblo of Laguna tribe. Her mother was born in Australia, and both Raquel and her mother are Jewish.
Raquel Montoya-Lewis went to college and earned several degrees. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico. Later, she earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington. She also got her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from the University of Washington School of Law.
Career as a Judge
Before becoming a judge, Montoya-Lewis was a professor. She taught at Fairhaven College, which is part of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
From 2008 to 2011, she was the main judge for the Lummi Nation, a Native American tribe. She also served as the chief judge for the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe and the Nooksack Indian Tribe. She worked as a judge for many other tribes across the country, hearing cases and reviewing decisions.
In December 2014, Governor Inslee appointed her to the Whatcom County Superior Court. This court handles serious cases. She kept her position there after winning two elections in 2015 and 2016.
On January 6, 2020, she started her new job on the Washington Supreme Court. She is a very important figure because she is one of the first Native American people to be a judge on a state's highest court. She is also the very first judge on a state supreme court who is officially a member of a tribe.
On November 3, 2020, voters chose her to serve a full six-year term on the Supreme Court. She ran against Dave Larson, a judge from Federal Way. Montoya-Lewis won with 58% of the votes, while her opponent received 41%.
See also
- List of Native American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Washington
