Judges in the Classroom
Visits elementary and middle schools to introduce students to how courts actually work, and to make sure the next generation grows up thinking of judges as people they can talk to.
Fast facts
- Court
- Grays Harbor County District Court, Position 2
- On the bench
- Since 2021 · 5 years
- Presiding Judge
- 3½ years
- Education
- BA, University of Washington
JD, Cornell
MBA, Eastern Washington University - Race
- Nonpartisan · Election Day Nov 3, 2026
Meet the Judge
Judge Megan Valentine
Judge Megan Valentine has served the people of Grays Harbor County on the District Court bench since 2021, after also serving as a Pro-Tem judge. Across those five years on the bench, including three and a half years as Presiding Judge, she has earned a reputation for rulings that are even-handed, carefully prepared, and respectful of every person who appears before her.
Before the bench, Judge Valentine built a career in law rooted in Grays Harbor. She holds a BA from the University of Washington, a JD from Cornell, and an MBA from Eastern Washington University. As a Grays Harbor County Deputy Prosecutor she argued cases before the Washington State Court of Appeals and the Washington State Supreme Court. She went on to practice as an associate at Ingram, Zelasko & Goodwin LLP, then ran her own law firm in Montesano for nine years as a small business owner.
Her record reaches beyond decisions to the court she has built. She founded District Court's Post-Conviction DUI Court — providing enhanced supervision and treatment centered on reducing traffic fatalities in Grays Harbor — and secured full state funding to sustain it. Under her leadership the court modernized: free public case search, electronic filing, and a new court computer system. Probation supervision has been expanded to include pretrial services, increased EHM monitoring, behavioral health programs, and a Victim Impact Panel keeping victims' voices at the center of accountability. She also made her courtroom a pilot for the statewide Fairness in the Court and Civil Protection Order projects.
Colleagues across Washington have turned to her for leadership. She represents District and Municipal courts on the state Board for Judicial Administration, serves on the Supreme Court's Gender and Sexual Violence Commission, and authored a new statewide court rule on traffic infractions. Nationally, she chairs the International Committee of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
Closer to home, she volunteers for the YMCA Mock Trial state finals, takes part in Judges in the Classroom, and hosts criminal justice students for court observations and interviews. She believes an open, understandable court is a stronger court.
Family first
A Mom Who Cares
Before she is a judge, Megan Valentine is a mom. The patience, fairness, and care she brings home to her family are the same qualities she carries into the courtroom every day.
Raising a family on the Harbor keeps her close to the people who come before her, and to why a court that treats everyone with dignity matters in every household in Grays Harbor County.
In the community
Community Engagement
An open, understandable court is a stronger court. Beyond the bench, Judge Valentine shows up across Grays Harbor to connect students, future lawyers, and neighbors with how the law actually works.
Court Observations
Hosts criminal justice students for court observations and one-on-one interviews — giving future attorneys a behind-the-scenes view of the bench.
What she stands for
Judicial Philosophy
Four commitments guide how Judge Valentine serves on the bench, earned over five years leading District Court.
Keep the Harbor’s courts fair
Re-elect Judge Megan Valentine on November 3, 2026. Chip in, volunteer, request a yard sign, or add your endorsement today.