Juanita Holmes Juanita Holmes graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 1985, and has been in the practice of law since that time. She is admitted to practice in the State of Washington, as well as in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Following law school, Ms. Holmes practiced family law for three years before joining The Defender Association, where she worked for over fifteen years. During her tenure at The Defender Association, Ms. Holmes practiced both civil and criminal law. In the civil arena, she represented parents and children in dependency cases and mentally ill persons in civil commitment cases. In the criminal arena, she represented both adults and juveniles in misdemeanor and felony cases. As a criminal defense attorney, Ms. Holmes has handled many serious felony cases. During her last four years at The Defender Association, she represented primarily clients facing a life sentence under Washington's "Three Strikes" law. Ms. Holmes has taken many cases to trial, including murder, three strikes and serious sex offenses. She has won acquittals, dismissals or lesser-included offenses in many cases. She has also obtained exceptionally low sentences for many clients who were convicted. Currently, Ms. Holmes' practice with Ellis, Holmes & Witchley, PLLC, consists of a variety of adult, juvenile, felony, and misdemeanor cases, at the trial, appellate and post-conviction levels. Ms. Holmes is a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. Ms. Holmes was born and raised in Salem, Oregon. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Whitman College in 1981, with a major in economics and minor in English literature. In her leisure time, Ms. Holmes enjoys playing the violin, singing, dancing, skiing and bicycling.