Supreme Court Reporter of Decisions

Step into a role of enduring significance within Washington’s judicial system!

The Washington State Supreme Court invites applications for the esteemed position of Reporter of Decisions - a constitutional office entrusted with preserving the voice of the appellate courts.

This role demands intellectual rigor, editorial mastery, and a deep respect for the rule of law. As Reporter of Decisions, you will oversee the meticulous editing and publication of opinions from both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, ensuring their clarity, precision, and accessibility in official reports and digital archives. Your work will shape the legal record and serve as a vital resource for practitioners, scholars, and the public.

This isn’t just a job—it’s a cornerstone of Washington’s legal system. If you’re detail-oriented, passionate about law and language, and ready to take on a role with constitutional significance, this could be your next great chapter.

Washington State SUPREME COURT Employment Opportunity Supreme Court Reporter of Decisions

POSITION DETAILS

Job #: 2025-80

Status: Regular, Full-Time

Location: Olympia, Washington

Salary: $144,00 - $154,000 per year (DOQ)

Opens: October 22, 2025

Closes: November 2, 2025. This recruitment will close when enough qualified applications are received. If you are interested in this opportunity, your prompt application submission is encouraged.

Duties

Some of the duties you will perform are:

Supervision and administration

• Supervises day-to-day activities of reporter’s office staff and monitors many duties of the contracting private publisher’s staff assigned to publishing Washington official reports.
• Creates a budget, monitors expenditures, drafts and implements office personnel policies, attends meetings as the court’s representative, etc.
• Establishes and monitors publication time tables and schedules.

Legal analysis

• Reviews and revises head notes for the opinions of 31 Washington appellate court judges.
• Coordinates editing of judicial opinions by the reporter’s office, judicial chambers, and the contract publisher, and resolves editorial issues.
• Makes final decisions for the most difficult legal style and citation issues.
• Drafts change orders and change memoranda amending Washington Supreme Court opinions.
• Answers case caption questions raised by judicial administrative assistants and the contract publisher's staff.
• Assembles and reviews all materials required for publication of official reports bound volumes.
• Proof reads and edits newly adopted and revised Washington Court Rules.

Services to other agencies and the public

• Answers a wide variety of questions from the contract publisher's staff, judicial administrative assistants, law clerks, attorneys, and the public.
• Publishes and revises the Style Sheet and extensive legal citation and style materials in the Opinion Citation and Style Guide on the AOC extranet, making them available to every judicial employee in Washington.
• Creates and periodically updates lengthy internal procedure manuals.
• Assists in organizing and conducting meetings of the Washington Court Reports Commission.
• Assists in organizing and conducting training sessions for judicial staff.

Publishing contract

• Drafts periodic requests for proposals (RFPs) for publishing Washington official reports.
• Oversees evaluation of proposals submitted in response to RFPs.
• Negotiates a publishing contract with the successful proposer.
• Administers the publishing contract and monitors the contract publisher's compliance with the contract.

Electronic publishing

• Coordinates publication of Washington appellate court opinions on the Internet.
• Uploads newly filed Washington Supreme Court opinions to the Internet.

Salary

• $144,000 - $154,000/year

Qualifications

• Law degree and membership in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association or another state bar association.
• Experience and high proficiency in editing legal publications, such as appellate court reports, treatises, or law reviews.
• Supervisory experience in a law-related environment.
• Knowledge of electronic publishing technology.

THE IDEAL APPLICANT WILL ALSO HAVE SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of: legal publishing, including electronic and hard copy publishing; English grammar, syntax, and usage; the Washington judicial system, including court procedures, the appellate process, and judicial administration; editing standards for legal publications; The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation and the Chicago Manual of Style; management techniques; Microsoft Word, electronic file management, and e-mail programs.

Ability to: supervise and manage people; coordinate with a wide variety of people and organizations; analyze, evaluate, and organize complex data; thrive in a very detail-oriented environment; communicate effectively orally and in writing; recognize and convey the importance of in-depth opinion editing and the need for maintaining a single, official, authoritative source for Washington case law while adapting to evolving expectations of the bench, bar and public.

Other Information

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CAREFULLY TO ENSURE YOU HAVE SUBMITTED THE REQUIRED MATERIALS TO BE CONSIDERED.

IMPORTANT: To be considered for this position, you MUST include the following, failure to do so will result in your application being disqualified:

1. Completed online application – CLICK HERE TO APPLY!
2. Current Resume.
3. Letter of Interest addressing your qualifications for the position. Please indicate why this position is a good fit for your skills and interests.
4. Three (3) to five (5) professional references to include a current or recent supervisor with email addresses and phone numbers.

To view the job description, please click here: Detailed Job Description - Insight (neogov.com)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Workweek may fluctuate depending on workload or agency need.
• This position is not overtime eligible.

The AOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on gender, pregnancy, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, physical, mental or sensory disability (actual or perceived), use of a service animal, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, age, HIV or Hepatitis C status, or any other basis protected by federal or state law. Persons of disability needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, please contact the AOC Human Resource Office, at (360) 705-5337, or fax (360) 586-4409, or via email to Recruitment@courts.wa.gov.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Benefits

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Parental Leave
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 07-21-2025