Press Release: 2026 Presiding Judge of Renton Municipal Court
Published on January 26, 2026
RENTON, WA (JANUARY 26, 2026) – Effective January 1, 2026, Judge Jessica Giner has assumed the office of Presiding Judge for the Renton Municipal Court. In addition to presiding over court calendars, Judge Giner will lead the management and administration of the court’s business, recommend policies and procedures that improve the court’s effectiveness, and direct resource allocation. Judge Giner is responsible for ensuring fair proceedings, upholding legal standards, and providing leadership to the court team.
Judge Giner was appointed to the Renton Municipal Court by Mayor Pavone in April 2021 and re-elected in November 2025.
Prior to her appointment, Judge Giner served as a judge pro-tem in courts across Western Washington for eight years, including Renton Municipal Court.
Judge Giner has earned a rating of “Exceptionally Well Qualified” from the King County Bar Association and top ratings from six minority bar associations, including: QLaw, Latina/o Bar Association, Cardozo Society, Joint Asian Judicial Evaluation Committee, Washington Women Lawyers, and Loren Miller Bar Association.
“I’m honored for the opportunity to serve as Presiding Judge and look forward to working with city partners and our dedicated team of court professionals to provide the best court services possible to our community,” stated Judge Giner.
Giner has been a strong advocate for creating and expanding court programs, including the court’s mental health calendar and civics education programs such as Renton’s Youth Traffic Court program and Constitution Day in our community’s classrooms. The court is also an active participant in the city’s Civic Academy.
Renton Municipal Court operates as an independent and impartial branch of the City of Renton, and includes Judicial Administrative Officer Yanna Filippidis, Judge Kara Murphy Richards, and a committed team of court professionals.
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About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 108,800 (2024), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace, and favorable business climate have attracted nationally recognized companies wishing to provide employees and their families with an outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, Super Bowl Champion (2014) Seattle Seahawks, two-time (2016 & 2019) MLS champion and CONCACAF Champion (2022) Seattle Sounders FC (in 2024), and the eternal resting place of rock icon Jimi Hendrix. You can find more information on our website, news releases, Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor pages.
Renton Municipal Court
The mission of the Renton Municipal Court, as an independent and impartial branch of our community’s government, is to resolve matters fairly and impartially, ensure the protection of rights and liberties of all individuals, deliver accessible and inclusive justice and ensure a dignified forum to build public confidence and trust in the court system.