BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The City of Bellingham has named its newest municipal court judge.

The city council unanimously approved Nicholas Henery for the position at its meeting on Monday, March 9.

Henery will join Judge Debra Lev as the court’s only two judges after it requested an extra judge to help manage the increasing load and severity of cases in recent years.

Lev swore Henery in after the council vote and had high praise for her soon-to-be fellow judge.

“I’m so happy that Nick joined our court team back when I appointed him and started in January 2022,” Lev said at the meeting. “Ever since that day, he has demonstrated every day that we are better with him on our court.”

Henery has served as the municipal court commissioner since 2022, but will now be able to hear trials as a judge.

He’ll begin his term on Monday, March 16, and serve through the end of 2029.

The following judge will be decided on by voters in a general election.