{ "id": "epxv2jva9k", "slug": "ricardo-s-martinez", "title": "Ricardo S. Martinez", "updated": "2026-09-29", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "label": "Surnames L to Ma", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames L to Ma", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "label": "Surnames L to Ma", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Ricardo S. Martinez, born 1951 in Mercedes, Texas, is a senior United States district judge for the Western District of Washington, appointed by George W. Bush in 2004.", "snippet": "Ricardo S. Martinez, born 1951 in Mercedes, Texas, is a senior United States district judge for the Western District of Washington, appointed by George W. Bush in 2004.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "markdown": "# Ricardo S. Martinez\n\nRicardo S. Martinez (born 1951) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. He was appointed by President George W. Bush, receiving his commission in 2004.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) He served as chief judge of the court from 2016 to 2022 and assumed senior status on September 5, 2022.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) |\n| Confirmed | June 15, 2004, by a vote of 98 to 0[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080575) |\n| Senior status | September 5, 2022[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) |\n| Born | 1951, Mercedes, Texas[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) |\n| Education | B.S., University of Washington, 1975; J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 1980[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nMartinez was born in 1951 in Mercedes, Texas.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) He earned a [Bachelor of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-science) from the University of Washington in 1975 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Washington School of Law in 1980.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136)\n\n## Legal career\n\nMartinez began his legal career in 1980 as an assistant prosecutor in [King County, Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/king-county-washington), a position he held until 1990.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) He then served as a judge on the Superior Court of the State of Washington in King County from 1990 to 1998.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nMartinez served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Washington from 1998 to 2004.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) President George W. Bush nominated Martinez to the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington on October 14, 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) The Senate confirmed him on June 15, 2004, by a vote of 98 to 0,[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080575) and he received his commission on June 16, 2004.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) He served as chief judge of the district from 2016 to 2022.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136) He assumed senior status on September 5, 2022.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136)\n\nAs chief judge, Martinez led the court's pandemic response. The Western District of Washington was among the first federal district courts to respond to growing Covid-19 infections in Washington, and the district later held what is believed to be the first virtual jury trial in the federal courts.[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock) Martinez and Judge Richard Jones were, for roughly two years, the only active judges on the seven-seat court.[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock) Explaining his decision to take senior status, Martinez said, \"The only reason I have not taken senior status is simply because we did not have anyone behind me who would be eligible to become the chief.\"[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock) He said that Judge David Estudillo, who was to succeed him as chief judge, had been shadowing him virtually via Zoom meetings since joining the bench to prepare for the role.[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock) Describing the court's docket, Martinez said, \"Next to Silicon Valley, we probably have more high tech here than anywhere else.\"[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock) He also noted the workload carried by the court's senior judges, saying, \"Our senior judges have carried an incredible load.\"[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Ricardo S. Martinez](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392136)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, June 15, 2004](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080575)\n3. [Seattle Trial Court Turnover Gives Biden Rare Chance to Restock](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/seattle-trial-court-turnover-gives-biden-rare-chance-to-restock)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames L to Ma*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Ricardo S. Martinez\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Ricardo S. Martinez](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Ricardo S. Martinez\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-s-martinez. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Ricardo S. Martinez, born 1951 in Mercedes, Texas, is a senior United States district judge for the Western District of Washington, appointed by George W. Bush in 2004." }