(Olympia, WA)  --  Washington's new State Supreme Court clerk is the first woman to be appointed to that position.  Susan Carlson succeeds Ron Carpenter, who retired after ten years.  Carlson worked in the state Attorney General's Office, State Senate, Chelan County Prosecutor's office, and the Administrative Office of the Courts before joining the Supreme Court in 2007.  She was sworn in Thursday by Chief Justice Barbara Madsen.