Vashon resident and former Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders announced that he’s again seeking a seat on the state’s highest court.

The libertarian lawyer and Gold Beach resident narrowly lost two years ago to Bainbridge Island attorney Charles Wiggins. He’s now one of four contenders for the seat being vacated by retiring jurist Tom Chambers.

Sanders served on the court for 16 years before his defeat. A self-styled champion of individual rights, he garnered criticism just before the 2010 election for comments he made on racial bias in the criminal justice system — words that he said were taken out of context.

Reached last week, he said he’s proud of his record on the high court — one that includes penning more than 600 decisions. He decided to run again, he said, because none of the other candidates are “dedicated to protecting individual rights like I was when I was on the court.”