Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed Haley Wolcott Sebens to Skagit County Superior Court. She will take the bench Jan. 1 as the court expands for the first time since 2006. (Photo: Skagit County Superior Court/Gov. Ferguson's Office)
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Skagit County Superior Court will add its first new judicial position in 20 years when Haley Wolcott Sebens takes the bench Jan. 1, following her appointment by Gov. Bob Ferguson.
Ferguson announced the appointment Oct. 9, naming Sebens to the newly created judicial position authorized by legislation he signed earlier this year. The expansion marks the first addition to the Skagit County Superior Court bench since 2006.
Sebens brings more than 16 years of legal experience to the position. She has served as a Skagit County Superior Court commissioner since January 2025, overseeing cases involving family law, child welfare, at-risk youth, guardianships, probate and estates.
“Having spent my entire legal career in Skagit, I am honored to step into this role, and look forward to continued service to our community.”
— Haley Wolcott Sebens
Ferguson cited Sebens’ experience and familiarity with the local court system in announcing the appointment.
“Haley Wolcott Sebens has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving Skagit residents,” Ferguson said. “Her passion, legal expertise and deep knowledge of the Skagit County Superior Court make her an excellent addition to the bench.”
Sebens will begin serving as a Skagit County Superior Court judge on Jan. 1, filling the new position created through the legislation Ferguson signed earlier this year.
More Than a Decade in the Skagit County Prosecutor’s Office
Before becoming a court commissioner, Sebens spent more than 10 years in the Skagit County Prosecutor’s Office, including service as a senior deputy prosecuting attorney.
Her work focused on felony cases involving women and children, including domestic violence, sexual assault and special assault cases. She also led the county’s multidisciplinary team coordinating cases involving child physical and sexual abuse and served on the Skagit County Domestic Violence Task Force.
Her prosecutorial experience extended to homicide investigations and prosecutions, property crimes, narcotics offenses and felony traffic cases.
As a trial attorney, Sebens handled more than 80 jury trials. She also argued cases before the Washington State Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court and regularly presented at prosecutor and trial attorney conferences across Washington.
Experience in Criminal Defense and Municipal Courts
Sebens also worked as a Skagit County public defender, handling misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal cases. In that role, she represented parents involved in the child welfare system.
Before Ferguson appointed her as a commissioner, Sebens served as a judge pro tem for several municipal and district courts, including Snohomish District Court and the municipal courts in Ferndale and Lynnwood.
In her current role as commissioner, she serves on the Superior Court Judges Association’s Family and Juvenile Law Committee and Minor Guardianship Committee.
Sebens lives in Skagit Valley with her husband and two children.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, where she competed as a student-athlete, and her law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law. While at Gonzaga, she served as an editor of the Gonzaga Law Review.
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