Governor appoints new Pierce County Superior Court judge
Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed André Peñalver to fill a new position on the Pierce County Superior Court bench.
“André is a talented attorney and I am thrilled that he will continue his career in public service,” Inslee said Friday in a news release. “He has a breadth of professional experience that has prepared him well for the bench, and his civic-mindedness will serve the court and the Pierce County community well into the future.”
Peñalver has been an assistant United States attorney in Tacoma, prosecuting white collar crime, drug and firearm cases, the release said.
He also has been a disciplinary hearings officer for the state bar association and was a civil litigator.
“In recent years, Peñalver has received Tacoma’s City of Destiny Award and the Washington State Bar Association’s Public Service & Leadership Award; and he was named Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association’s Volunteer Attorney of the Year,” the release said.
His law degree is from Cornell Law School and his bachelor’s degree is from Harvard University.
Pierce County Superior Court had 22 judges. The County Council funded an additional judge position with a mid-biennial budget adjustment that was adopted Dec. 8.
