Tacoma Municipal Court Judge Drew Henke Announces Retirement After Decades of Public Service

~ After four decades of serving the citizens of Tacoma, Judge Drew Henke has announced her retirement from the bench on December 31, 2025. The Tacoma Municipal Court Judge expressed her gratitude for the privilege and honor of serving in this role.

"It has been such a privilege and honor to serve the citizens of Tacoma as a Tacoma Municipal Court Judge," said Judge Henke. She also shared her excitement for starting the next chapter of her life, but acknowledged that she will greatly miss the people she has worked with throughout her career.

During her tenure as a judge, Henke was elected in 2014 and served as Presiding Judge. She played a crucial role in establishing the Behavioral Health Court, a specialty court aimed at addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior in defendants with mental health conditions.

Mayor Victoria Woodards praised Judge Henke's contributions to the judiciary and to the people of Tacoma. "Her steadfast commitment to fairness, compassion, and equal access to justice, especially through her leadership in establishing the Behavioral Health Court, has changed lives and strengthened our community," said Mayor Woodards. She also expressed deep gratitude for Henke's service and wished her well in retirement.

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Henke graduated from the University of Puget Sound School of Law in 1985 and began her legal career as a criminal defense attorney. In 1988, she joined the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. Over two decades with the office, she handled cases ranging from misdemeanors to murder and supervised both District Court and Juvenile Divisions. Her role also included training new prosecutors.

Before being elected to the Tacoma Municipal Court, Henke served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings. Outside of her courtroom duties, she was actively involved on various boards such as District and Municipal Court Judges' Association, Judicial Ethics Advisory Board, and Council on Public Defense.

Following her retirement from the bench, Judge Henke plans to spend time with her family and her husband, who retired last year. Her distinguished legal career and contributions to the Tacoma community will be remembered and celebrated by many.

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