Judge Brian McDonald - Chief Criminal Judge
- Courtroom Number: E-1201
- Bailiff: Greg Howard
- Department: 48
- Assignment: Chief Criminal
Biography
Judge Brian McDonald was appointed to the King County Superior Court in 2019. He attended Stanford University and the University of Michigan Law School.
Judge Brian McDonald currently serves as the Chief Criminal Judge for the Superior Court. In 2025, he was the Assistant Chief Criminal Judge.
Prior to his appointment, Judge McDonald worked for more than 25 years in the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where he served as a senior deputy prosecuting attorney on both criminal trials and appellate matters. He handled many significant criminal cases, including the prosecution of serial killer Gary Ridgway. In 2004, Judge McDonald was a recipient of the King County Bar Association’s Outstanding Lawyer Award.
Judge McDonald devoted a good portion of his career to appellate work, and he frequently appeared before the Washington Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court. From 2008 to 2009, he served as a Commissioner for the Court of Appeals, Division One.
Early in his legal career, Judge McDonald was a civil litigator with Cairncross and Hempelmannin Seattle and Thelen, Marrin, Johnson and Bridges in San Francisco.
Judge McDonald is the co-chair of the Washington Pattern Jury Instruction Committee. He is the past co-chair of the King County Superior Court’s Education/Training Committee and the Jury Committee.
Helpful Links
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The daily criminal calendars: Criminal calendars - Superior Court - King County, Washington
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The Criminal Department Manual: Criminal Manual
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General information about criminal cases: Criminal cases - King County, Washington
Requests
Weddings
Available by appointment. Please contact Judge McDonald's bailiff, Greg Howard, at mcdonald.court@kingcounty.gov or call at 206-477-1617 for additional details.
Judges who perform weddings - Superior Court - King County, Washington
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