Judge Shotwell has 25 years of professional experience in criminal justice and social services. In 2021, she was appointed to the bench by a unanimous vote of the King County Council.  Judge Shotwell previously served as a trial attorney and attorney supervisor in civil and criminal practice areas at the King County Depatment of Public Defense.  She represented more than 2,000 people in felony, misdemeanor and involuntary civil commitment proceedings.

Judge Shotwell’s experience in social services includes conducting social work assessments and preparing treatment plans for hundreds of clients.  She focused primarily on mental health and substance use disorders. She served clients in a wide range of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, assisted living facilities and the criminal justice system.

Throughout her career, Judge Shotwell has been committed to reducing criminal recidivism in order to improve the lives of individual people as well as to support healthier communities.

Judge Shotwell earned a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Hawai’i Law School, where she was valedictorian; a Master’s in social work from the University of Washington; and a Bachelor's in psychology from Yale University. She has been a state-certified Spanish language interpreter for more than 25 years.