Gov. Jay Inslee announced today the appointment of Diana Ruff to the Benton & Franklin Counties Superior Court. She will replace Judge Alex Ekstrom, who later this month will begin his term as a federal magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Washington.
Since August 2021, Ruff has worked as a court commissioner for the Benton & Franklin Counties Superior Court, where she presides over family law, probate, guardianship and juvenile dockets. Before joining the court, Ruff worked as an administrative law judge with the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings. She has also served as a judge pro tem in Franklin County District Court and Pasco Municipal Court. Prior to her judicial career, Ruff was a Benton County Deputy prosecutor for over five years. She began her career handling personal injury cases at Allen Brecke Law Offices in Kennewick.
Ruff is also involved in the Tri-Cities community. She has volunteered in various leadership positions with the Benton Franklin Bar Association, and is a proud youth soccer coach volunteer. She served on the Benton County Park Board for over 10 years, including a term as its chairperson. She has also been a commissioner on the Parks and Recreation commissions for both the cities of Kennewick and Richland.
“Diana is an extremely talented attorney. She is smart, driven, and dedicated to serving her community,” said Inslee. “And her breadth of experience is impressive. She has done civil litigation, criminal prosecution, and as a judicial officer she’s presided over administrative proceedings and now Superior Court dockets. She will be a great addition to the bench.”
Ruff earned her bachelor’s degree and law degree from Gonzaga University.
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