NEWS RELEASE

May 6, 2019

Media Contact:
Lisa Morawski, 503-569-2482

Governor Brown Announces Multnomah County Circuit Court Vacancy

Judge McKnight to retire from Multnomah County Bench

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown announced today that she is accepting applications for a judicial vacancy on the Multnomah County Circuit Court created by the planned retirement of Judge Maureen McKnight.

The Governor thanked McKnight for her dedicated judicial service, and announced that she will fill the position by appointment. McKnight’s retirement takes effect May 31, 2019.

Governor Brown has been informed by the Presiding Judge of Multnomah County that the judge appointed to this position will be assigned to the Multnomah County Circuit Court’s Family Law Department.

Interested applicants should mail or deliver their completed application forms to: Misha Isaak, General Counsel, Office of the Governor, 900 Court Street NE, Ste. 254, Salem, OR 97301-4047. Forms must be received by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 27, 2019. Forms emailed by 5 p.m. on the closing date will be considered timely if the original signed forms postmarked by the closing date are later received. Please note that the judicial interest form has been updated.

Governor Kate Brown fills judicial vacancies based on merit. She encourages applications from lawyers with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

At the time of appointment to the court, the candidate must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Oregon, and a member of the Oregon State Bar. Oregon law also requires each judge of the circuit court to be "a resident of or have a principal office in the judicial district for which the judge is elected or appointed, except that in any judicial district having a population of 500,000 or more, according to the latest federal decennial census, any judge of the circuit court may reside within 10 miles of the boundary of the judicial district.” Multnomah County has a population in excess of 500,000. ORS 3.041(5) provides the required length of time for the residency requirements.

To ask questions about the appointment process, or to request an interest form, contact Shevaun Gutridge at 503-378-6246 or email shevaun.gutridge@oregon.gov. The Judicial Interest Form is also available online.

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