Hon. Douglas E. Goelz (Ret.) was a judge for the Pacific/Wahkiakum Superior Court in Washington. He was elected to the seat in 2016 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Michael J. Sullivan (Ret.). Goelz retired in 2018.
At the time of his election, he was a judge for the South District Court in Pacific County, where he had presided since 1988. In addition, Goelz sat as a municipal court judge and a commissioner of the Superior Court.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Southern Oregon College in 1972. Goelz then completed a J.D. at the University of Puget Sound School of Law in 1975.
After relocating to Pacific County in 1980, Goelz spent time as a private practice attorney in Long Beach as well as a public defender and deputy prosecuting attorney. He also worked as a private practice in Tacoma. During his tenure as an attorney, he appeared before the Washington Court of Appeals and the Washington State Supreme Court.
Goelz held a membership with the Washington State Bar Association and the State Bar of California. He was also a member of the District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association Long Range Planning Committee.
His civic involvement has included the Ilwaco High School Sports Boosters and the Olympia YMCA high school trial competitions (volunteer judge).
Goelz and his wife, Mary, have two grown children.