Civil Rights Attorney Colleen Melody Named to Supreme Court by Ferguson

Governor Bob Ferguson has appointed civil rights attorney Colleen Melody to the Washington State Supreme Court, filling the seat of retiring Justice Mary Yu.

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Melody, a Spokane native, has led the Attorney General’s Office Wing Luke Civil Rights Division since 2015, helping Washington become a national leader in defending civil rights. She has argued high-profile cases, including blocking President Trump’s first Muslim travel ban, protecting DACA recipients, and challenging attempts to revoke birthright citizenship.

Melody, a University of Washington School of Law graduate who finished first in her class, previously worked in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., where she received multiple awards for her work.

She will officially join the Supreme Court after Justice Yu retires at the end of the year.