Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Tina Robinson officially submitted her resignation on September 1, 2026, setting in motion a gubernatorial appointment process to fill a vacancy on the eight-member county trial bench.
Court administrative staff in Port Orchard confirmed that Robinson will continue presiding over active jury trials, motions calendars, and settlement conferences through the winter term to ensure that existing case management schedules remain intact.
In 2020, Robinson transitioned back to public service by running for an open Superior Court judgeship, winning election in 2020 and running unopposed for retention during the 2024 general election cycle.
As documented by the Bainbridge Island Review , the local court system has faced substantial caseload growth fueled by rapid population expansion in Central Kitsap and Bremerton, alongside evolving state statutory requirements regarding pretrial detention, competency restoration, and public defense caseload caps.
That electoral requirement ensures that local voters retain democratic oversight of the county bench, but it also compels newly appointed judges to establish campaign committees, file public disclosure reports, and raise private contributions while managing demanding judicial duties.
Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Tina Robinson announced her resignation effective February 2027, opening a second judicial appointment for Governor Bob Ferguson.