In Memoriam: James Andersen
Judge James Andersen
The Washington Coalition for Open Government is saddened to learn of the death of James A. Andersen, a founding member of the WashCOG board.
Andersen, former chief justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, died May 1, 2022. He was 97.
“Justice Andersen was a true champion of open govern,” said Mike Fancher, WashCOG president. “He helped launch the coalition in 2002 and remained a strong advocate throughout his life.”
Attorney Judith Endejan, a longtime WashCOG board member, said, “Justice Andersen was such a wonderful, wise person. I learned so much from him and viewed him as a role model.”
George Erb, another veteran WashCOG board member, said Andersen was smart and accomplished, yet approachable and down to earth. “He was proud of his rural roots,” Erb said.
In 2005, Andersen was the first recipient of the coalition’s James Madison Award, which is presented annually to an individual or organization whose long-term commitment to the cause of open government is demonstrated through exemplary words or deeds.
Because his support was so important, in 2007 the coalition created another award in his honor. The James Andersen Award is given annually to an individual or organization that has done something extraordinary to advance WashCOG’s advocacy for the people’s right to access government information.
James A. Anderson has had a long and distinguished career as an attorney in both private practice and the Washington State judiciary. After serving in World War II and completing his Bachelor of Arts and Law Degrees from the University of Washington, Justice Andersen began his legal career as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for King County, Washington State, in 1953. He later went into private practice and became a partner with the firm of Clinton, Andersen, Fleck and Glein in Seattle.
While in private practice Justice Andersen served as a citizen legislator in the Washington House of Representatives from 1959 to 1967 and in the Washington State Senate from 1967-72. Justice Andersen started his career in the judiciary in 1975 when he joined the Washington State Court of Appeals in Seattle where he served until 1984. He became a Justice on the Washington State Supreme Court in Olympia in 1984 and served as Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court from 1992 until his retirement in 1995.
As Chief Justice, Justice Andersen was host judge of the National Conference of Chief Justices and gave the first ever State of the Judiciary Address to a joint session of the Washington State Legislature. After retiring from the Washington State Supreme Court in 1995 he served as Special Assistant Attorney General and received the University of Washington School of Law Distinguished Alumnus award. In addition to being a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Washington Coalition for Open Government, he chaired the state’s Legislative Ethics Board.
