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Judge Leah Taguba
The King County Council unanimously appointed Leah Taguba to the King County District Court bench in 2021. As the daughter of immigrant parents, Judge Taguba grew up in South King County and is the first Filipino American woman to be appointed to the King County District Court bench. Judge Taguba is currently assigned to the Auburn Courthouse location where she presides over Auburn cases, as well as the Auburn Community Court.
After graduating Southwestern Law School, Judge Taguba served as a King County Prosecuting Attorney (KCPAO) for over fifteen years. As a prosecutor, she handled cases ranging from criminal misdemeanors through third strike felony offenses. She made charging decisions; negotiated thousands of cases to resolution; and went to trial as the prosecutor of various crimes. After gaining years of trial experience, Judge Taguba transitioned into leadership positions supervising the KCPAO’s District Court Unit. As a supervisor, Judge Taguba prioritized teaching new prosecuting attorneys and law school interns about the importance of pursuing justice that balances accountability and rehabilitation of the defendant, with community safety and victim interests.
Judge Taguba’s additional professional experience includes working as a Statistician-Demographer for the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington D.C.
Judge Taguba is committed to helping create a court system that engenders community trust. She believes in fairness and seeks to infuse equity into all aspects of her legal career. Judge Taguba strongly supports alternative and treatment courts, as well as diversion programs from the criminal justice system, where appropriate. As a King County Prosecutor, Judge Taguba helped develop criminal diversion programs and partnered with community-based organizations and other stakeholders to support therapeutic and restorative approaches to criminal cases.
Judge Taguba is a member of the Washington State Supreme Court’s Minority and Justice Commission and the Race and Criminal Justice Task Force 2.0, and serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for King County District Court.
After graduating Southwestern Law School, Judge Taguba served as a King County Prosecuting Attorney (KCPAO) for over fifteen years. As a prosecutor, she handled cases ranging from criminal misdemeanors through third strike felony offenses. She made charging decisions; negotiated thousands of cases to resolution; and went to trial as the prosecutor of various crimes. After gaining years of trial experience, Judge Taguba transitioned into leadership positions supervising the KCPAO’s District Court Unit. As a supervisor, Judge Taguba prioritized teaching new prosecuting attorneys and law school interns about the importance of pursuing justice that balances accountability and rehabilitation of the defendant, with community safety and victim interests.
Judge Taguba’s additional professional experience includes working as a Statistician-Demographer for the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington D.C.
Judge Taguba is committed to helping create a court system that engenders community trust. She believes in fairness and seeks to infuse equity into all aspects of her legal career. Judge Taguba strongly supports alternative and treatment courts, as well as diversion programs from the criminal justice system, where appropriate. As a King County Prosecutor, Judge Taguba helped develop criminal diversion programs and partnered with community-based organizations and other stakeholders to support therapeutic and restorative approaches to criminal cases.
Judge Taguba is a member of the Washington State Supreme Court’s Minority and Justice Commission and the Race and Criminal Justice Task Force 2.0, and serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for King County District Court.