Judge Janet Garrow

Judge Garrow was elected to the King County District Court in Bellevue in 1998 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006. She has served as the Presiding Judge of the East Division and as a member of the Court’s Executive Committee. She handles criminal and civil cases on a daily basis and is committed to the philosophy that all cases should be handled fairly, efficiently, and with respect for all participants.

For several years Judge Garrow served as a portability judge for King County Superior Court hearing civil trials and juvenile cases. She currently serves on the Judicial College Board of Trustees, the Board for Judicial Administration Best Practices Committee, the District and Municipal Court Judges Association Rules Committee, and as faculty for the Washington Judicial College.

Prior to being elected to the bench Judge Garrow was a principal with Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S. in Seattle, practicing in the areas of land use, environmental law, forest practices and civil litigation. She also served in the positions of Assistant Director/Land Use Manager and Assistant City Attorney for the City of Bellevue. She began her law practice as a public defender in Seattle.

Judge Garrow has a BA degree in psychology from Marquette University, a MS degree in counseling and personnel services from Purdue University, and a JD degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law.

Judge Garrow has been an active volunteer in her community. She currently teaches English as a second language through Hopelink, and her past service includes chair of the Bellevue Human Services Commission, president of the Eastside Domestic Violence Program board of directors, and as a mediator with the Bellevue Neighborhood Mediation Program. She resides in Bellevue with her family.