Craig Adams, the longtime legal advisor to the Pierce County sheriff, has been appointed as a Superior Court Commissioner.

The appointment marks a return to the bench for Adams, who served as a Court Commissioner for two years during a career that includes work in private practice and as an Assistant Attorney General for Washington state. He has spent the past 20 years as the legal advisor to the Sheriff’s Department. Adams will be sworn in Mon., March 5 during a private ceremony. He fills a vacancy created in 2011 when Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Commissioner Patrick H. Oishi as a King County Superior Court judge.

Adams is active in the community, volunteering with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and as a crew chief/volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, among other things. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, and graduated cum laude from the University of Puget Sound School of Law.

There is one other change to the Superior Court Commission ranks. Commissioner Meagan Foley will shift from civil to criminal cases. Foley was first appointed to the bench in 1988 and has served on numerous committees of the Superior Court, including serving as Presiding Commissioner several times. Like Adams, she earned her degrees from the University of Washington and University of Puget Sound.

Adams was selected from among 24 applicants who were evaluated by a committee of judges and commissioners and then voted on by Superior Court judges. Commissioner Foley’s request to for reassignment from civil to criminal cases was approved by a vote of the Superior Court judges.

Working in partnership with the rest of the public safety and judicial system, Pierce County’s eight Superior Court commissioners preside over a range of proceedings, which frees judges to handle more trials. The eighth position was created in 2010 and was funded for two years by federal grants and internal savings within Superior Court. After those funds were exhausted, the Pierce County Council continued funding for the position this year after seeing how it improves the administration of justice while minimizing the cost to local government.