Commissioner Matthew L. Clucas
Commissioner’s Department

Commissioner Clucas graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Pre-Law.  He earned his Juris Doctorate from the Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon.  He was admitted to the Washington State Bar in 1993.

Prior to his judicial appointment, Commissioner Clucas worked in both the public and private sector, practicing criminal, family, and probate law.  He began his career as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Kitsap County in 1994 where he prosecuted both felony and misdemeanor crimes; during this time, he was instrumental in developing the Adult Drug Court in the Kitsap County Superior Court.  From 2003 until 2010, Commissioner Clucas was a partner with Bennett Rainey Moran Gianneschi and Clucas where he engaged in a general legal practice that included criminal defense, family law, probate, real estate law and general civil litigation.  Until joining the Superior Court Bench, Commissioner Clucas continued a general practice with Tolman Clucas, PLLC, where he also served as a mediator in matters that included family law, workplace conflicts and neighborhood disputes.  Commissioner Clucas’s early judicial career began in 1993 when he began serving as judge pro tempore in various Kitsap County and Jefferson County District and Municipal Courts.       

Commissioner Clucas has also been very active in his community.  He served on the City of Poulsbo Library Board from 2006 through 2009; and, he served as a Board member for Martha and Mary between 2006 and 2012.  From 2010 until 2014, he also served on multiple Contract Panels for the City of Poulsbo to assist the Mayor with procuring appropriate prosecutorial and criminal defense services.  Commissioner Clucas has also been very active with the Board of Trustees for the Kitsap County Bar Association since 1994, eventually serving as President of the local Bar in 2013.     

Commissioner Clucas is the recipient of the 2015 Washington State Bar Professionalism Award, recognized for exemplifying the spirit of professionalism in the practice of law as defined by the WSBA Creed of Professionalism.  The Kitsap County Bar Association also recognized Commissioner Clucas with the 2002 Humanitarian Award for his efforts in co-founding the Adult Drug Court.

Commissioner Clucas was appointed the full-time Court Commissioner by the Superior Court Judges effective July 30, 2018.