Ms. Swain’s Bio

Krista White Swain has been practicing criminal law since 1996. Currently, she practices both in the area of prosecution and defense. Having worked on both sides of the courtroom, she carries an objective perspective toward each case she handles. By being able to see how a prosecutor as well as a defense attorney approaches a case, she can better assess a case and predict a probable result.

Approaching her cases from a broader perspective than usual, Ms. Swain works closely with her clients to evaluate what is needed to help her client through the criminal justice system, as well as appraise if treatment, counseling or other services are needed in each circumstance.

Ms. Swain graduated from California Western School of Law near the top of her class. Prior to law school, she attended the University of Washington, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature.

Actively involved locally with the arts as well as several charitable organizations, Ms. Swain is active in the community. She has recently played key roles in fundraising for the Northwest Children’s Fund as well as FUSION, a local charity that houses homeless women and children. In addition she works with the Ninth Avenue School of Dance and the Aria Dance Company.

Born and raised in the Puget Sound area, Ms. Swain currently resides in Northeast Tacoma with her husband and two children.

Ms. Swain's Experience

Ms. Swain began her trial experience while still in law school. During her first year, she placed third in her class in oral argument. In her second and third year she was on the school’s trial team, traveling around the country, competing against other law schools in mock trials.

During her third year, she clerked at both an insurance defense law firm as well as the San Diego Public Defender Juvenile Division, working on juvenile felony cases.

Upon graduation, Ms. Swain began her trial experience in the Bellevue District Court as a public defender. After trying several cases to verdict before juries, she formed a partnership with another trial attorney and began a private practice, while maintaining her support to the area of public defense. She has been a sole practitioner since 2000.

Although criminal defense in district and municipal court is her primary specialty, Ms. Swain has worked for several years as a prosecutor for the City of Des Moines. Currently, she is also a prosecutor for the City of Milton. Her prosecution experience provides a unique perspective most criminal defense attorneys are lacking – a truly objective view of how a court approaches a case from all sides. This enables her to advise her clients with a truly honest and balanced approach, giving her clients a realistic view of the probable resolution in a case.

Ms. Swain has also appeared on the record in most of the courts in the Puget Sound area. As a result, she is familiar with the prosecutors, judges and other defense attorneys who appear in each court. By her familiarity with these courts, she can better anticipate rulings a judge may make and objections the prosecutor will posit. This results in fewer hearings to set and an enhanced ability to predict how rulings will come down on each issue.

Currently, Ms. Swain is a sole practitioner. Her practice is divided up into misdemeanor criminal defense in King and Pierce County, prosecution for the City of Milton and providing public defense to the City of Pacific. She also handles bail bond issues arising in King and Pierce County District, Municipal and Superior Courts.