Judge Brauer is retiring
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, November 8th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The judge for Courtroom 1 in the Umatilla County Courthouse in Pendleton is retiring. Gov. Tina Kotek announced Judge Christopher Brauer will retire on Dec. 31.
Brauer, whose last position before he was elected judge was Umatilla County district attorney, has been a judge ever since Morrow County District Attorney Justin Nelson was elected. He said that Brauer demanded respect for the judicial system in his courtroom.
“It was a formal process to be in court,” Nelson said. “You would stand when you were speaking. You would dress appropriately. You’d give respect to the courtroom, to the judge, and also, as a prosecutor, to the defendant.”
Brauer would hold court in Morrow County the first Monday of every month and Nelson will miss that. He said the judge had a unique way of making the process a little easier on those charged with crimes.
“He realized that defendants may lose track of stuff,” he said. “He would always set certain timelines to holidays. For example, he would say, ‘Hey, your community service has to be done with proof submitted to the court by the Fourth of July.”
Nelson said he’s begun to practice pegging due dates to holidays as well. Kotek will accept applications for the seat until Nov. 29, 2023. More information is available by contacting Shevaun Gutridge at 503-378-6246.
Brauer’s term would have expired in early January of 2025, meaning he would be running for reelection starting in May 2024 if he hadn’t decided to retire.
