Maureen McKeeman has been appointed as Poulsbo’s new municipal court judge through the end of the year, following longtime judge Jeff Tolman’s upcoming retirement April 7 after 31 years of service.

Mayor Becky Erickson selected McKeeman to be the next judge, which was unanimously approved by the City Council at its April 2 meeting.

“Poulsbo is very important to me. I’m happy to be here and serve this community,” McKeeman said at the council meeting. “Judge Tolman has built a strong court here over the last 31 years. It’s an excellent foundation and I look forward to building on that moving forward.”

McKeeman is currently a partner at the Tolman, Grossman & McKeeman law firm in Poulsbo. Her background is in criminal law as an attorney, a news release states. She has served as a pro tem judge since 2022 and has presided over hearings in both Bainbridge Island Municipal Court and the Poulsbo Municipal Court. McKeeman received her Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law in 2010.

“We are very fortunate to have Maureen join the Poulsbo Municipal Court team,” Erickson said in a statement. “While most people think about the time in the courtroom, so much happens behind the scenes with the court administrator and clerks. The focus of the judge is not just on the proceedings, but as a key member of the team that will maintain service to our community and focus on the change and modernization that is required. I’m confident Maureen is ready to do just that.”