Court of Appeals Releases Report Stating a Need for More Judges

“Today, the court faces new challenges, perhaps more daunting than any in our history,” - Chief Judge David Brewer of the Oregon Court of Appeals

The fact that there are so few judges explains a great deal about the way Oregon's legal system functions, or fails to.

(SALEM) - Chief Judge David Brewer of the Oregon Court of Appeals released the Annual Court of Appeals Report Wednesday morning, stressing a need in the court for more judges.

“Even though for more than 90 percent of appellate litigants the Court of Appeals has the final word in their case, no new judges have been added to the Court in 35 years,” wrote Brewer.

The legislature approved adding three additional judges to the court earlier this year. Those judges would become operative in fall 2013. Brewer said this is not enough to sustain current practices.

“Those improvements notwithstanding, merely to ‘tread water’ with its existing caseload, the court needs four new judges and corresponding staff,” wrote Brewer in the annual report.

The judge wrote that the court has worked to “modernize and improve its internal processes and case deciding function” with practices like two-judge panels, eliminating de novo review in equity cases, and adopting modern business practices to allow for more efficient use of court resources.

“Despite those best-effort measures, the court’s ability to perform its essential, historical mission is being incrementally impaired,” he continued.

Brewer added that with an increasing population size and an increasing number of new laws, the court struggles with providing justice to litigants without delay. The promise of justice delivered “completely and without delay,” to which he referred, is contained in the first article of the Oregon constitution.

Brewer, who no longer will be the court’s Chief Judge on April 1, said the court is “mindful of the challenges that the Legislative assembly faces in balancing critical interests.”

“Today, the court faces new challenges, perhaps more daunting than any in our history,” he concluded. “But challenge begets the opportunity for greater service.”

Special thanks to Oregon Capitol News

oregoncapitolnews.com