Justice Theo Angelis is running to retain his seat on the Washington State Supreme Court in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Angelis holds Position 5 on the court. The race is nonpartisan and is for the rest of an unexpired term, according to BallotReady election data. He faces one opponent, Dave Larson, also running as nonpartisan. Angelis is certified for the ballot.
On his campaign website, Angelis says he is the first justice of Middle Eastern descent to serve on the Washington State Supreme Court. He also describes himself as the son and grandson of immigrants and refugees and says he brings "a deeply personal understanding of the importance of a legal system that protects opportunity, fairness, and equal treatment under the law."
Candidate information
- Office sought: Washington State Supreme Court Justice, Position 5 (unexpired term)
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Current role: Justice, Position 5, Washington State Supreme Court (2025–present)
- Previous employment: Global leader of the intellectual property practice and leader of the appellate practice at K&L Gates LLP; law clerk to Judge Stephen F. Williams on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Education:
- Bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, Claremont McKenna College
- Master's degree, Oxford University (British Marshall Scholarship recipient)
- Master's degree, London School of Economics
- Juris doctor, Yale Law School
At Yale, Angelis served as articles editor of the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Law & Policy Review, according to his official court biography. He was named best oralist at the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition. At Claremont McKenna, he served as student body president.
Experience and public service
Angelis's court biography lists extensive volunteer and professional roles:
- President, Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington
- President, M. Margaret McKeown Bar Association
- Chair, Fair Campaign Practices Committee, King County Bar Association
- Trustee, King County Bar Association
- Board member, Foundation for Washington State Courts
- Editor, Washington Lawyers Practice Manual
- Co-author of the white paper that served as a founding document for the World Justice Project
Awards and recognition, per his court biography:
- King County Bar Association Mentor of the Year, 2012
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Amicus Award, 2011, for his team's work representing an army veteran who was wrongfully held
- ACLU Humanitarian Award, 2017, for class action litigation aimed at securing appointed counsel for children in immigration proceedings
- Kids in Need of Defense Founders Award, 2018, for assisting children in removal proceedings and his service on KIND's Washington Advisory Council
On the issues
Angelis's campaign website states he "has long worked to expand access to the legal system, including extensive pro bono advocacy representing asylum seekers and children." He says he believes "the courts must remain open, accessible, and fair to all people."
No additional issue positions from the candidate were available for this profile.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are listed on Angelis's campaign website: Pro-Choice Washington, The Stranger, The Seattle Times and PPAA Washington. BallotReady also lists an endorsement from the AFL-CIO.
The Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot includes Position 5 on the Washington State Supreme Court. Angelis faces Dave Larson.
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