Benton-Franklin Superior Court judge resigning before end of 1st full term

Diana Ruff is leaving her position as a Superior Court judge in a little more than three months.

Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office is in the middle of finding a replacement for Ruff before her resignation on June 30. They recently wrapped up collecting applications.

Ruff has not said why she is choosing to leave, or what she plans to do once she steps down.

It’s not clear how many people applied or when an announcement is expected about her replacement. The Tri-City Herald has reached out to Gov. Ferguson’s office for more information.

The attorney picked to follow Ruff will serve the remaining year of her term before needing to run for election.

The seven judges that make up the Benton-Franklin Superior Court preside over felony criminal cases as well as civil lawsuits, divorces, paternity and custody issues.

Ruff, a former top deputy prosecutor and court commissioner, was appointed to the role in 2022, by Gov. Jay Inslee to replace outgoing Judge Alex Ekstrom following his appointment as a federal magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Washington.

Ruff then won an election for the remaining year of Ekstrom’s term in 2023 and then won a full four-year term in 2024.

In her time as a judge, she has needed to navigate defense attorney shortages in both Benton and Franklin counties. The shortages often left defendants lingering in jail without an attorney, she canceled the bail on the defendants to preserve their rights.

She also fined the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office twice because of failures to turn over paperwork to defense attorneys.

She has also served as an ambassador for the Benton and Franklin County Superior Court bench, going to various organizations to explain the law.

Before becoming a judge, Ruff worked as a Benton County court commissioner, which presides over probate, guardianship and juvenile dockets.

Prior to being commissioner she worked as an administrative law judge and a top prosecutor with the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office.

She also served as a judge pro tem in Franklin County District Court and Pasco Municipal Court.

“Diana is an extremely talented attorney,” Inslee said in a news release at the time of her appointment. “She is smart, driven and dedicated to serving her community.”

She earned her undergraduate and law degrees at Gonzaga University. She also served in leadership on volunteer boards through the community, including the Benton County Park Board and the Benton-Franklin Bar Association.