Judge Andrea S. Jarmon accepts Excellence in Diversity Award, says representation changes courtroom experience

Judge Andrea S. Jarmon accepted the Honorable Justice Charles C.Z. Smith Excellence in Diversity Award and framed the recognition as a call to continued work on equity in the courts. Jarmon, who identified herself as a judicial officer on the King County District Court bench, said her presence on the bench has produced both surprises and gratitude from litigants and that those reactions underscore the need for more diverse benches.

"Diversity matters," Jarmon said, recounting two scenes: a Zoom hearing in which an African American woman did not recognize the judicial officer and a courtroom moment when people hesitated mid‑rise because they did not expect to see her. She closed her remarks by saying she accepts the award "as a commitment to my own self, and to each of you, that I will continue to do the work so that we are all equal, equitable, and treated with dignity before the law." The judge also noted ongoing efforts to engage youth and explained that visible role models can change young people's expectations about legal careers.