Judges and Commissioners

Judge Heather Shand was elected to serve as Skagit County Superior Court Judge beginning in January 2025. She previously served as Superior Court Commissioner since September 2019. Her experience includes time as a Pro-Tem Judge for District Court and a Pro-Tem Commissioner for Superior Court. Prior to her judicial career, Judge Shand operated her own law firm, specializing in family law, adoptions, guardianships, probates, civil litigation, business law, taxation, and estate planning. Judge Shand holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Minor in Society and Justice from the University of Washington (1998), a Juris Doctor degree from Gonzaga University School of Law (2000), and a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Washington (2004).

Judge Riquelme was appointed to the Skagit County Superior Court in March, 2016 and in July, 2017 and elected November 2018. Prior to her judicial service, she was a senior deputy public defender with the Skagit County Public Defender. She began her legal career as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney. Judge Riquelme is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Syracuse University’s College of Law.

Elizabeth Yost Neidzwski was elected to serve as a Skagit County Superior Court Judge in November, 2020. She was previously a senior deputy public defender with the Skagit County Public Defender’s Office and a public defender with both the King County Department of Public Defense and the Orange County Public Defender’s Office. She also previously worked in private practice at a civil litigation law firm. Elizabeth is a graduate of Anacortes High School, Western Washington University, and Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Judge Mary K. Crandall was appointed as a Superior Court Judge in January 2026. Prior to that she served as a superior court commissioner, beginning in November 2021. Before joining the bench, Judge Crandall served as a Multnomah County deputy district attorney in Portland, Oregon from 2011 through 2015. Upon returning to Skagit County, Judge Crandall served as a senior deputy prosecuting attorney for the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and Judge Pro Tem for San Juan County courts. Judge Crandall is a graduate of Burlington-Edison High School, University of Washington, and University of Oregon School of Law.

Commissioner Haley Sebens was appointed as a Superior Court Commissioner in January 2025. Her experience includes time as a Judge Pro-Tem in various municipal and District Courts.  As the Commissioner, she handles domestic and family law calendars, adult and minor guardianships, child welfare, estate and probate law, and protection orders.  She joined Superior Court from the Skagit County Prosecutor's Office, where she worked as a Senior Prosecutor.  She specialized in felony special and sexual assault, and domestic violence cases; and handled all level of felony crimes including homicides, narcotics trafficking and felony traffic. She previously worked as a Skagit County Deputy Public Defender where she practiced in the fields of criminal law, dependency, juvenile court, and various treatment courts.  Sebens was the law clerk to the Skagit County Superior Court Judges after graduating from law school.  Commissioner Sebens is a graduate of the University of Washington and Gonzaga Law School. She is a member of Burlington Rotary.

Commissioner Rebecca Carroll was appointed as a Superior Court Commissioner in June 2023 to preside over Involuntary Treatment Act hearings. She earned her bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from Seattle University. Commissioner Carroll has extensive private practice experience in the areas of guardianship and conservatorship, adoptions, civil contempt, and mental health cases.