Judge Kristin Ferrera

10/22/2026

Trial court judges see the law in action every day. We work face to face with the people affected by our justice system. We see the realities of addiction and recovery, the complexities of mental health, the devastating impact of domestic violence, and the struggles facing defendants, victims, and families. We hear their stories and see how judicial decisions affect real lives and communities long after people leave the courtroom.

As trial judges, we care deeply about the people who appear before us, including those accused or convicted of crimes. We want our communities to be safe, victims to be protected, and defendants to have meaningful opportunities to address the challenges that brought them into the justice system and to succeed in building better lives.

We know accountability, public safety, treatment, and rehabilitation all play vital roles in a justice system that serves our communities well.

Judge Sean O’Donnell has served on the King County Superior Court since 2013 and brings significant statewide leadership experience, including serving as President of the Superior Court Judges’ Association and co-chair of its Legislative Committee. He understands how decisions made at the state level affect trial courts and the people we serve.

Every justice brings valuable experience and perspective to the Supreme Court. A well-balanced court benefits from having a justice who understands firsthand the daily realities of presiding over cases, the practical challenges facing trial courts, and the long-term consequences of judicial decisions for individuals, families, and communities.

This is one of the many reasons I support Judge Sean O’Donnell, and I encourage you to vote for him for Position 4 on the Washington State Supreme Court. His trial court experience, statewide judicial leadership, and work with judges and legislators bring an important perspective to our state’s highest court.

10/21/2026

Enjoying the beautiful city of Cincinnati while attending the National Access to Justice Conference.

It’s inspiring to learn from legal aid advocates, attorneys, judges, and court staff from across the country who are working to make our courts more accessible and easier to navigate.

Access to justice means more than opening courthouse doors. It means ensuring people can understand court procedures, navigate the system, and have a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to share ideas, learn from other jurisdictions, and connect with others committed to ensuring our courts work for everyone.

06/24/2026

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Judicial Leadership Summit with members of the Board for Judicial Administration (BJA), on which I am honored to once again serve as a Superior Court Judges’ Association representative.

The summit was an incredibly productive collaboration among judicial leaders from across Washington, including our partners at the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Washington State Bar Association.. These conversations are critical to strengthening our courts and ensuring we continue to serve the public effectively.

I am especially grateful for the leadership of Chief Justice Debra Stephens (pictured middle) and for the opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues such as Judge Cindy Larsen of Snohomish County (pictured left).

06/24/2026

Just in case you missed it – – our network, including email and phone lines, are back up. The clerks office is still catching up on file linking and some scanning of documents so please continue to be patient.  We are truly appreciative of our IT folks and all the hard work that they put in to help us through this challenging time!

06/24/2026

Last week we celebrated Family Reunification Day and Commissioner Brandt declared June as Family Reunification month—a reminder that when families are supported, healing and positive change are possible. This day recognizes the hard work of parents, children, caregivers, attorneys, social workers, CASA volunteers, and court professionals who work together toward safe and successful reunification. It was incredibly inspiring to hear the stories of parents who have overcome so much and reunified with their children.

06/10/2026

Our phones are (mostly) back up and running. Emails are still down but expected to return soon.

Update on our system-wide disruption:

Our phones are back up. You should be able to call a department or office you need because incoming calls are coming in.

However, some employees still can't make external calls and our voicemail is down.

What does this mean?

It means you can call us, but you may have to try a few times if the phone is busy. And please be patient with staff. They are ready to help you but they are also playing catch-up.

Some of our systems remain down, including email. There may be some things an employee can't look up for you. We will continue to keep you updated!

06/09/2026

Chelan County Superior Court is operating with some limitations. Assume that your case is going to be heard as scheduled unless you hear otherwise from court staff.

Our emails and phones are still down. Please make sure that you provide a paper judge's copy for any pleadings that you file.

If you need to reach the court for any reason, you can email [email protected]

06/09/2026

For Jury Groups 9-11, scheduled to call in Friday, June 5, after 5 pm, and any other jurors scheduled to call for the week of June 8-12, you are excused and done for the term.

-- Chelan County Jury Administrator

06/04/2026

If you have been interested in becoming a Guardian Ad Litem for family law cases, this is an excellent opportunity. This is taking place this weekend via Zoom. 

REGISTRATION is now open for Washington State's Title 26 Guardian ad Litem [GAL] Certification Training. Please visit tinyurl.com/galcertification or scan the QR code in the image below. The training is administered by Kitsap Legal Aid Services and will take place over four days in June via Zoom. If you are interested in learning more about the scope and responsibilities of GALs, please contact your particular county's GAL Administrator with your questions and concerns. Thank you.

06/03/2026

Chelan County’s network is still down. Our emails and phones are not working. We continue to figure out more workarounds and so we are operating court as normally as possible. I will provide an update when we are back online completely. In the meantime, the best way to reach us is to come by the courthouse or email us at [email protected] 

Thank you for your patience!