Washington State Supreme Court Has Next Chief Justice

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Justice Steven González has been elected as the next chief justice of the Washington state Supreme Court.

González was elected by his colleagues on Thursday.

He will succeed current Chief Justice Debra Stephens, who will continue to serve as a justice on the nine-member court following her re-election this week.

Stephens was elected as chief justice last November to serve out the remainder of the term of former Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst.

The chief justice presides over the court’s public hearings, serves as the administrative head of the state’s judicial branch, and is the court’s main spokesperson.