Letter from Mary Yu | Sharonda for Justice

I am pleased to endorse Judge Sharonda D. Amamilo for the Washington State Supreme Court. Having served on our Supreme Court, I firmly believe she has the requisite professional and life experience that will make her an excellent Justice for the people of Washington State.

First elected as a superior court judge in 2020, Judge Amamilo has presided over hundreds of cases involving constitutional rights, public safety, child welfare, family stability, administrative law, and complex civil disputes. Her tenure as a trial court judge has enabled her to develop a deep understanding of state law and court procedures. Since most cases heard at the Supreme Court come from the trial court, this gives her a solid foundation for making good decisions and an appreciation for how the law is actually applied to litigants.

Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Amamilo spent years in public defense work representing individuals. Her clients included parents in dependency matters, juvenile offenders, people experiencing mental illness, and youth in foster care. The experience gives her a unique perspective on how court decisions affect families, children, constitutional rights, and long-term community stability.

Judge Amamilo also served our country for nearly 30 years in the United States Army and Army Reserve as a military intelligence analyst, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. Military intelligence work requires disciplined factual analysis, sound judgment under pressure, and careful respect for legal and constitutional boundaries.

Finally, Judge Amamilo has demonstrated statewide leadership through service on the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families Oversight Board, the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the Joint Legislative Task Force on Jail Standards, and other statewide judicial and justice-system workgroups.

These roles reflect her commitment to improving the administration of justice which is an important function of the Supreme Court that each Justice must assume.

Judge Amamilo is experienced, thoughtful, independent, and deeply committed to the rule of law. Washington would be well served by her election to the Washington Supreme Court, and I am honored to support her candidacy.