About Judge Anita Crawford-Willis

Born and raised in Seattle’s Central District, Judge Crawford-Willis is a devoted public servant with a dedication to justice and a commitment to the community she serves. The daughter of Boeing production line workers who were proud members of IAM 751, Judge Crawford-Willis worked at Safeway during her college years and held membership in the Retail Clerks Union.  

A graduate of Seattle University and its School of Law, the judge is a highly regarded alumna leader who has mentored scores of students over the years, many of whom are practicing professionals today. She is former chair of the SU Board of Regents and a past member of the Law Alumni Board who presently serves on the university’s Board of Trustees. Her wide-ranging and distinguished career as a public servant and community leader prompted the SU Law School to name her Woman of the Year in 2014.   

The judge’s volunteer work extends far beyond the university.  She served as a board member for the King County Boys & Girls Club for 13 years, was a member of the Executive Board for the Loren Miller Bar Association, and has been involved in many civic organizations.   

Judge Crawford-Willis brings to the bench more than 30 years of distinguished public service, having been a public defender, a judge pro tem, and an administrative law judge prior to her appointment to the Seattle Municipal Court in 2017 and subsequent election by popular vote in 2018. Throughout her career, she has proven to be an impartial, compassionate, and exceedingly fair-minded judicial officer. 

Since assuming her current role on the bench, the judge has focused on ensuring equal access to justice for all Seattleites and expanding the Seattle Municipal Court’s Resource Center to provide essential community services to those who need it most. In addition to her roles with the Seattle Municipal Court, she lends her experience to the courts statewide by serving on the District and Municipal Court Judges Association and also the Washington State Supreme Court Gender and Justice Commission.  

Judge Crawford-Willis is award-winning jurist, having been honored with the Loren Miller Bar Association Social Justice Award and being recognized by the Washington State Bar Association with their Outstanding Judge Award in 2022.   

Anita and her husband, Pervis, live in South Seattle with their daughter, Taylor. They enjoy traveling, exploring Seattle’s parks, attending a myriad of Seattle-area philanthropic events, and cheering on the Seattle University RedHawks.