Definition Robert S. Lasnik is an American jurist who serves as a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Overview Judge Lasnik was nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton in 1998 and has served in the Western District of Washington since receiving his commission. Prior to his federal appointment, he had a distinguished career in state law, including serving as a judge on the King County Superior Court and as a prosecutor. He assumed senior status in 2018, continuing to hear cases in a reduced capacity. From 2011 to 2018, Judge Lasnik also served as the Chief Judge for the Western District of Washington.
Early Life and Education Born in 1951, Robert S. Lasnik earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1973. He continued his legal education at the University of Washington School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1976.
Judicial Career Lasnik's legal career began with service as a public defender and later as a senior deputy prosecuting attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office from 1978 to 1989. In 1989, he was appointed by Governor Booth Gardner to serve as a judge on the King County Superior Court, where he presided until his federal appointment. On July 1, 1998, President Clinton nominated him to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. He was confirmed by the Senate on October 21, 1998, and received his commission on October 26, 1998. He served as Chief Judge from 2011 to 2018 and transitioned to senior status on October 26, 2018. As a federal district judge, he has presided over numerous civil and criminal cases within the jurisdiction of his court.
Related Topics
- United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
- Federal judiciary of the United States
- United States district judge
- Bill Clinton