Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed a Pierce County deputy prosecuting attorney to Thurston County Superior Court ahead of a judge’s retirement.

Judge James Dixon will retire on Dec. 30 after spending over a decade on the bench. He will be replaced by Anne Egeler, according to a Thursday news release from the Governor’s Office.

Egeler, who lives in Olympia, has worked at the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office since 2020. In her current role, Egeler handles criminal appeals in state and federal court. From 2005 to 2020, Egeler served as a deputy solicitor general with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

In a statement, Inslee said Egeler is equipped for her next step as a Superior Court judge.

“She’s handled so many of the types of matters that come before the Thurston County Superior Court; and, with her more recent criminal practice experience, she is ready to hit the ground running,” Inslee said.

Egeler has been active as a volunteer with the Thurston County Volunteer Legal Association. She also previously served as a board president for that same association, according to the news release. Her contributions to the association earned her the Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services Legacy award, according to the release. She has served on the board of the Olympia Education Foundation and the Capital Chapter of Washington Women Lawyers.

She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, and went on to earn her law degree at Seattle University School of Law.