About James
A career of service built for the courtroom.
James W. Armstrong, Jr. brings more than 25 years of legal experience, judicial service, Marine Corps discipline, and community leadership to the race for Pierce County District Court, Position 8.
Meet James
A Legal Career Focused on People, Service and Fairness.
James W. Armstrong, Jr. is a candidate for Pierce County District Court, Position 8, bringing more than 25 years of legal experience, judicial service, and community leadership to the race.
Armstrong earned his Juris Doctor from Seattle University School of Law in 2000 and opened his Kent law practice in 2006, focusing on workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and personal injury matters.
Through that work, he has represented injured workers, people with disabilities, and individuals navigating complex legal systems at some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
For The Record
A campaign anchored in judicial service.
Managed personnel, budget matters, and court operations while helping stabilize a court in need of renewed public confidence.
Continued judicial service in Pierce County District Court, Puyallup Municipal Court, Kent Municipal Court, and Tukwila Municipal Court.
Served from 1988 to 1992, shaping the discipline, integrity, and sense of duty he brings to courtroom and community work.
Service Record
A legal career shaped by accountability and service.
Armstrong’s approach to justice is rooted in both accountability and rehabilitation. He believes District Court is often a person’s first direct encounter with the justice system, and that responsibility has to be taken seriously.
For Armstrong, real success in the people’s court means holding people accountable while also recognizing the value of treatment, stability, and second chances when appropriate. That balanced approach can help reduce repeat offenses and contribute to a safer community.
Armstrong has also been active in statewide legal and civic leadership. He served on the Washington State Bar Association Board of Governors, chaired diversity and mentorship efforts, served as president of the Loren Miller Bar Association, and later chaired its Judicial Evaluation Committee.
His campaign has earned strong recognition from bar associations and judicial evaluation groups, including ratings of “Well Qualified” from the Tacoma Pierce County Minority Bar Association and King County Bar Association, along with “Exceptionally Well Qualified” ratings from the Loren Miller Bar Association, LBAW, the Joint Asian Judicial Evaluation Committee, and QLAW.
James Armstrong is running for Pierce County District Court to bring experienced, fair, and service-minded leadership to the bench. His campaign is grounded in a simple belief: justice should protect the community, respect the people before the court, and strengthen public trust in the legal system.