Dave Larson, Candidate for Supreme Court, Position 5

[Editor's note: This Candidate Statement was published without edits from The Highline Journal]

Judge Dave Larson (Ret.) is running for Position 5 on the Supreme Court. With 18 years as a highly rated trial judge and 23 years as a highly rated trial lawyer, his 41 years of experience make him the most experienced candidate for this office. His opponent has no prior judicial experience. He chose to come out of a brief retirement due to a sense of duty to the public and a desire to be part of the solution.

Judge Larson believes that the state and nation are divided, and that courts are being improperly used for power and control instead of representing the people. He is viewed as a calming presence in this political storm due to his history of working successfully with both Democrats and Republicans in the legislature to improve the court system.

Dedicated to community involvement, Judge Larson has spent years promoting civics education for youth and adults, earning award recognition for his efforts. As a Supreme Court justice, he plans to expand this work to help restore trust and confidence in all three branches of government. He has reached out to Democrats, Republicans, Labor, Business, and citizens across both Eastern and Western Washington, emphasizing that everyone deserves to trust the Supreme Court regardless of their political beliefs, economic status, or geographic location. He firmly believes that one-sided justice for some means there is no justice for anyone.

Instead of just occupying a seat, Judge Larson intends to use his trial court experience to bring strong leadership to the Supreme Court. He aims to collaborate with the legislature and local governments on common-sense solutions that reduce crime with compassion while maintaining personal accountability. His work in criminal justice reform has been recognized nationally, reflecting his philosophy that the system needs to be smarter on crime, rather than just tougher or softer. He notes that recent Supreme Court decisions have undermined the efforts of trial courts, which are essential for protecting the health and welfare of communities.

He served as faculty at our State’s Judicial College teaching new judges from 2010 to 2020. He received the 2018 DMCJA President’s Award for his work on judicial independence statewide. His work was part of the inspiration for the formation of the Council on Independent Courts. The Supreme Court Gender & Justice Commission recognized his work on domestic violence prevention. He has also been a leader for innovative reforms in our criminal justice system. He was just awarded the DMCJA President’s Award for the second time in 2026 for his continued positive impact on the judiciary.

As a lawyer, Judge Larson was active in the Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association, and Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association where he served on committees addressing court rules, professionalism, litigation, young lawyer mentoring, and continuing legal education. His abilities as an attorney earned him an “AV Preeminent” Peer Review Rating through Martindale-Hubbell. This rating "is a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him...at the highest level of professional excellence."

Judge Dave Larson - For Justice | WA Supreme Court Pos. 5

Judge Dave Larson is running for Supreme Court because Washington deserves a justice who brings the experience our highest court demands.

Dave Larson for Supreme CourtCampaign

Dave Larson is running against incumbent Theo Angelis. [The Highline Journal has not received a candidate statement from Theo Angelis.]

The Highline Journal extended the same invitation to both candidates. Publication is provided at no charge and does not constitute an endorsement.