Kelly Warner-King honored with Washington State Bar Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Government Service

Kelly Warner-King, manager of Family and Youth Justice Programs at the Administrative Office of the Courts, was presented the Washington State Bar Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Government Service at an awards segment. A presenter said, "Kelly is very deserving of the Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Government Service," highlighting her long-standing work on dependency court improvements.

Warner-King introduced her role and the scope of her work, saying she and her office "serve all 39 dependency courts across the state," the courts that handle abuse and neglect cases. The presenter credited her with helping judges and commissioners improve outcomes for children and families; one line of praise said, "If there is a successful dependency court in this state, I guarantee you Kelly's fingerprints are on that court."

Warner-King discussed her motivations and methods, recalling that she "went to law school in order to help kids" and describing efforts to bring people with lived experience into court improvement work. She highlighted training programs co-designed with judicial officers and resources created by the Court Improvement Training Academy and the Administrative Office of the Courts to support consistent, trauma-informed practices statewide.

The award citation and remarks emphasized both concrete reach and personal impact: presenters and Warner-King cited parents' reports that they "felt seen" and able to make progress on their cases. The program was described as focused on reunification when safe and on reducing the harms associated with removal.

The presenter formally closed the segment by congratulating Warner-King on receiving the Washington State Bar Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Government Service and thanking her for service to judges, commissioners, and families.