Current Occupation/Employer: Judge, Island County Superior Court

Legal/Judicial Experience: Elected in 1996, Vickie Churchill has served as Superior Court Judge for Island County since 1997. Prior to that, she was an attorney for 10 years in Oak Harbor.
 
Significant Career Experience: President, Superior Court Judge’s Association for Washington, 2007; Co-Chair of Board of Judicial Administration for Washington, 2007-09.
 
Education: University of Missouri, BJ 1969, cum laude; Seattle University School of Law, JD 1986, cum laude; Tausend Moot court winner and third runner-up for Regional Moot Court for Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana.
 
Family: Married since 1983 to George Churchill. Four children: Laurie Miller; Kristie Keeney; Lisa Blinn; and Michelle Long; six grandchildren.

Distinguished Service Record
       
     Since taking the bench, Judge Vickie Churchill has been instrumental in obtaining the Juvenile Detention Center, starting the Juvenile, Adult and Family Drug Courts, instituting the court facilitator program for indigent persons in family law cases, and requiring parenting classes in actions involving children. Realizing that the community wants to be involved in helping juveniles, she helped start the Community Accountability Boards for juvenile cases, using members from the community who will decide particular diversion cases. She has advocated for Teen Courts in high schools, in order to teach students more about the judicial system and to use peer pressure in dealing with juvenile offenders, again with particular diversion cases.  Finally, for the last two years, Island County Superior Court has celebrated the successful adoptions of foster children with an Island County Adoption Day and encouraged more families to open their homes to foster children.
 
     Although Judge Vickie Churchill has taken a lead role in many of these improvements, she recognizes that it takes teamwork to be successful.  Judge Alan Hancock and she have worked cooperatively over the years to make these improvements.  Michael Merringer, Court Administrator, has tirelessly managed these projects, making sure they were successful.  Channing Gredvig, our Drug Court Coordinator, has devoted his energy and time to helping people succeed in their sobriety.  Lauren Cooley, the newest staff person in Juvenile Court Services, is enthusiastically organizing the Teen Courts.  Additionally, Sherry Cameron, Court Manager, has made sure that the Island County Adoption Day is a success each year.  These are just a few of the dedicated team members in Island County Superior Court.   
 
     Statewide, Judge Vickie Churchill has shown her leadership abilities with other Superior Court judges. She was elected in 2006 as President-Elect of the Superior Court Judges’ Association (SCJA) of Washington, consisting of approximately 185 judges in the State of Washington. She served as SCJA President in 2007 and is now the Past President. She is a member of the Superior Court Judges' Association Legislative Committee, Family & Juvenile Law Committee, Rural Courts, and Criminal Law Committee.  
 
     Besides maintaining a full workload administering justice in Island County, Judge Vickie Churchill currently serves as co-chair of the Board of Judicial Administration (BJA) for the state of Washington, serving alongside Chief Justice Gerry Alexander of the Washington State Supreme Court. The BJA is the administrative arm for more than 400 judges in the Washington judiciary, covering all levels of court, the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Superior Court, District Court and Municipal Court. In her capacity as co-chair of the BJA, Judge Vickie Churchill has been able to represent the needs of the small, rural counties. Currently, Judge Vickie Churchill chairs the BJA Long Range Planning Committee.  She has also taught at the Washington State Judicial College for new judges.
 
      While serving in these statewide judicial organization, Judge Vickie Churchill also has been the Presiding Judge for Island County Superior Court for the past three years. During this time, Judge Vickie Churchill has continued to carry her full caseload in Island County and presides over the Adult Drug Court.
 
     In 2007, Judge Vickie Churchill introduced a bill in the State Legislature to divide the Judicial District for Island and San Juan counties. She persuaded the county legislative boards in both counties to support the legislation. As a result, San Juan County started its own Superior Court in January 2008. While this move has greatly benefited San Juan County, it has also cleared up time for the judges to devote to Island County legal needs and delayed the need for a third courtroom in Island County, saving the county expensive construction costs.


Governor Gregoire signs the bill that creates
the San Juan County Superior Court, while Judge Churchill looks on. 

Website Design by Robie