About Shantrice Anderson
Shantrice Anderson is an attorney and Pro Tem Judge committed to fairness, integrity, and equal justice under the law.
Raised in a military family, Shantrice grew up living across the country and abroad before her family settled in Washington State. She graduated with honors from Bremerton High School and went on to Gonzaga University, becoming the first in her immediate family to earn a college degree. She later earned her law degree from Seattle University School of Law, where she participated in the International Human Rights Clinic and served as National Director of Community Service for the National Black Law Students Association.
Shantrice began her legal career as a public defender, representing individuals facing misdemeanor, juvenile, felony, and appellate cases. She has substantial trial experience and has worked with specialty courts, including the Veterans’ Court and drug court. Her commitment to justice is informed by firsthand experience advocating for people at their most vulnerable.
Today, Shantrice practices civil law and serves as a Pro Tem Judge and Pro Tem Magistrate in Seattle Municipal Court, where she presides over a wide range of proceedings, including Mental Health Court. She is known for her preparation, fairness, and respectful courtroom demeanor.
Honoring a Mentor:
Judge David Armstrong
Shantrice Anderson’s commitment to public service and the law was shaped early by the guidance of David Herbert Armstrong, a Washington Court of Appeals Judge who encouraged her to pursue a career in law. Judge Armstrong was the first Judge that Shantrice had ever met, and immediately began what would be a 20-year mentorship.
Judge Armstrong believed deeply in the responsibility of the legal profession to serve the public with integrity, humility, and fairness. He recognized Shantrice’s potential early on and consistently encouraged her to see the law not only as a profession, but as a calling grounded in service and justice. Judge Armstrong’s guidance shaped Shantrice’s choice to pursue a Philosophy Degree at Gonzaga University. As a proud father of a Gonzaga graduate, Judge Armstrong encouraged Shantrice to pursue a Major that fostered critical thinking and an ability to see the actions of one person both in a microcosm and how that effect can be felt in a larger sense.
A couple of years prior to his passing, Judge Armstrong, himself, entrusted Shantrice with his gavel—a meaningful symbol of his confidence in her character, judgment, and commitment to the values he embodied throughout his career. That gavel is reflected in Shantrice’s campaign logo as a reminder of the responsibility judges carry and the legacy of fairness and integrity she strives to uphold.
Shantrice carries Judge Armstrong’s mentorship with her every day on the bench, approaching each case with preparation, respect for the rule of law, and a deep understanding of the human impact of judicial decisions. She carries his legacy every day in her civil career, as well, analyzing and referencing his many authored-opinions.