![\"Shirley](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/In-her-chambers.jpg\" "\\"In-her-chambers\\"")
\n <\/div>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n![\"Justice](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/the-chief-768x1024-400x533.jpg\" "\\"the-chief\\"")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tMatt Woleske (2015-16)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Justice](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Miscellaneous-SSA-Photos_0031-670x1024-400x611.jpg\" "\\"Miscellaneous")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Justice](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/14729-SSA-teaching-1024x628-400x245.jpg\" "\\"14729")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Shirley](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/SSA-and-Seymour-in-Theater-1024x737-400x287.jpg\" "\\"SSA")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMegan Sanders (2014-15)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n While I was clerking for the Chief, the state constitution was amended to enable the justices to elect their chief. They day after the election, there was a vote, and the Chief was no longer the Chief (though naturally we still called her \u201cChief\u201d and even answered the phones that way). She did not show […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n \n \n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Justice](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/the-chief.jpg\" "\\"the-chief\\"")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMatt Woleske (2015-16)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Justice](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Miscellaneous-SSA-Photos_0031-scaled.jpg\" "\\"Miscellaneous")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Justice](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/14729-SSA-teaching.jpg\" "\\"14729")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n ![\"Shirley](\"https:\/\/www.shirleyabrahamson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/SSA-and-Seymour-in-Theater.jpg\" "\\"SSA")
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMegan Sanders (2014-15)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n While I was clerking for the Chief, the state constitution was amended to enable the justices to elect their chief. They day after the election, there was a vote, and the Chief was no longer the Chief (though naturally we still called her \u201cChief\u201d and even answered the phones that way). She did not show […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n \n \n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMatt Woleske (2015-16)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMegan Sanders (2014-15)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n While I was clerking for the Chief, the state constitution was amended to enable the justices to elect their chief. They day after the election, there was a vote, and the Chief was no longer the Chief (though naturally we still called her \u201cChief\u201d and even answered the phones that way). She did not show […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n \n \n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMatt Woleske (2015-16)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tMegan Sanders (2014-15)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n While I was clerking for the Chief, the state constitution was amended to enable the justices to elect their chief. They day after the election, there was a vote, and the Chief was no longer the Chief (though naturally we still called her \u201cChief\u201d and even answered the phones that way). She did not show […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n \n \n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMatt Woleske (2015-16)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
While I was clerking for the Chief, the state constitution was amended to enable the justices to elect their chief. They day after the election, there was a vote, and the Chief was no longer the Chief (though naturally we still called her \u201cChief\u201d and even answered the phones that way). She did not show […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tMatt Woleske (2015-16)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
As so many others have said, the Chief (and though she had been recently removed from that position by constitutional amendment, that was always what I called her) worked incredibly hard.\u00a0 So much so that I remember realizing at one point that she and I had surely spent more hours together that year than she’d […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tSue Fieber (Judicial Assistant, 1992-1999)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
As you all know, Justice Abrahamson had a new crop of interns from the UW law school every semester. Each one of them had the opportunity to work on an opinion with her. But she made clear to them that the finished product would be hers and hers alone. One guy just couldn\u2019t get that […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \tDouglas Endreson (1980-1981)<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\n \n One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
More<\/a><\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/article>\n\n\n\t \n\t \n \n <\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
One Sunday, I came back after an early dinner and got right to work, expecting Justice Abrahamson to come in shortly after I did.\u00a0\u00a0Time got away from me, Justice Abrahamson did not come in, and around 11 p.m. I went up the back stairs to the State Law Library to get a couple books.\u00a0\u00a0Opened the […]<\/p>\n\n \n
<\/a>\n <\/figure>\n \t
When Kirbie Knutson and I began clerking for Justice Abrahamson in September 1977, she was not only the newest member of the court, but also — since hers was the only chambers with a magnetic card typewriter — the most technologically advanced. I point this out to dazzle Peter Chen, whose recollections of Shirley\u2019s \u201cruthless\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2678","page","type-page","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"yoast_head":"\n