Governor Kate Brown Announces Additional Supreme Court Vacancy

EASTERN OREGON – (Release from the Oregon Governor’s Office) Governor Kate Brown announced today that she intends to fill a judicial vacancy on the Oregon Supreme Court created by the planned retirement of Chief Justice Martha Walters. The Governor thanked the Chief Justice for her dedicated judicial service. The retirement of Chief Justice Walters is effective December 31, 2022, and the appointee will begin service immediately thereafter.

“Chief Justice Martha Walters has been an incredible advocate for Oregonians seeking access to justice, showing steadfast leadership as the first woman to serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court,” said Governor Kate Brown. “She has been collaborative and fearless in helping to seek solutions to some of the state’s most pressing and complex issues. I appreciate her dedicated service to Oregon and wish her the very best.”

The Governor’s Office currently is conducting an appellate judicial appointment process, to fill the vacancy created by the previously announced retirement of Justice Thomas Balmer, and to build a pool of candidates that Governor Brown can draw from to fill any further vacancies that may arise on the Oregon Supreme Court or Oregon Court of Appeals during the remainder of her term of office. Consistent with that approach, applicants who are part of the candidate pool from that pending appellate judicial appointment process also will be considered for Chief Justice Walters’ position.

As previously announced, the deadline for applications for the appellate judicial appointment process is 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 19, 2022. Qualifications for the positions and instructions for applying can be found here.

For questions about the appointment process, or to request an interest form, contact Shevaun Gutridge, at 503-378-6246 or shevaun.gutridge@oregon.gov.

The judicial interest form is also available online.

---

---

---

---

Elkhorn Media Group