Judge Karen A. Watson: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Karen A. Watson is a commissioner for the Pierce County Superior Court in Washington. She was appointed to the bench by the judges of the Pierce County Superior Court in 2021, filling the vacancy created by the election of the Hon. Diana Kiesel to the Pierce County Superior Court.

Prior to her appointment, Watson spent over twenty years as a deputy prosecuting attorney with the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. During her time as a prosecutor, she handled cases in the District and Superior Courts, and she argued legal issues before the Court of Appeals and State Supreme Court. She was also the lead attorney in the Family Support Division.

Watson received a B.A. in history from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She then completed a J.D. at the Seattle University School of Law in 1994.

After graduating from law school, Watson entered into private practice, handling estate planning, family law, and criminal defense matters as an attorney at Betzendorfer & Granoski in Tacoma. She was subsequently hired as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Watson has held a membership with the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association. She served as an active member of its Friend Committee for over ten years. Watson has also been an active supporter of the Remann Hall Book Club, which provides books and a discussion forum for juveniles detained at the Hall.