Matarazzo says she did so because the proceedings were merely procedural and Underhill's office had been briefed on the expected nature of the proceedings. Multnomah Bar Association 2023. a Patricia practiced at the firm for about 10 years, becoming a partner after six. Judge Waller has since taken her increased awareness of the challenges that people with mental health needs face in the criminal justice system and used it to help inform decisions intended to improve peoples outcomes. When someone says you cannot be fair and impartial, for a judge, that strikes the essence of what it means to be a judge. There is no voicemail on this department's phone line. There, she began to develop her particular style and approach to criminal law practice. Meet our team of more than 100 dedicated staff, See the state and local officials that guide our work, Get to know the funders who support our work, Browse our library of original research and analysis. For information regarding Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) , please visit Oregon State Legislature website. Of 14 Multnomah County judicial positions that were up for a vote this May or November, this is the only one that was contested. Across the country, communities are struggling to address the high number of people with mental health needs cycling through the criminal justice system each year. He told her none of the 81 lawyers in his office would ever try a case in front her again. In March, she was under consideration for a vacancy on the state's top judicial panel, the Oregon Supreme Court. Fleming the was Youve got to be able to think on your feet. over Telephone customer service available. If a judge wants to knock down an affidavit, she must prove the lawyer who filed it acted in bad faith. Michael Yates, Court Liaison Committee. I have the ability to bring that perspective to my work. Despite Marquis' assessment, Underhill leads an office that reformers say views some judgesand Matarazzo in particularas too soft on criminals. When she practiced, about 75 percent were self-represented. Our team works with communities across the country to provide people with the reentry supports they need. "If they blow it, they can go to prison.". However, by the time she graduated law school, her focus had shifted: a clerkship at the Federal Public Defenders (FPDs) office in Portland allowed her to watch amazing lawyers and staff work tirelessly in their representation of indigent criminal defendants. In the column at the far right, contact information for the subpoena clerk in the unit handling the case is shown. Matarazzo tried to suspend, break up or offer alternatives to the sentences so that someone who had racked up a third DUII could still avoid jail and get treatment. In both of these capacities, Judge Waller advises on solution-oriented ideas related to improving competency to stand triala process designed to protect the rights of people who are unable to assist in their own defense that has become increasingly overburdened nationwide. Tyler Waud is an example of the program's potential. She has been a judge for over two years, is the ninth African American to serve as a judge in Oregon and is the fourth African American woman judge when she was appointed by Governor Brown. Judge Nan Waller has served in the Multnomah County, Oregon, circuit court system for 30 years. Mercedes Deiz; the second was Hon. Health Afterwards, Baggios co-counsel Iniguez told the press, Every single, minor detail he told us was corroborated. a She remarked that both are customer service roles, and a judges goal is to ensure that lawyers and litigants who leave a courtroom feel that they have been heard and listened to. He strives to give litigants a fair chance to be heard, treat them with dignity and see their humanity. St. Its a marathon, and not a sprint. She considers herself lucky, having been placed in foster care shortly after she was born, to have had a secure placement for all of her childhood. Looking back, Judge Moawad says her work waiting tables between her time at Whittier College and beginning to attend law school at University of Oregon Law informs her in her current role presiding over cases. It's a philosophical disagreement over what role judges should play, who should be behind bars and for how longand how the vast sums of money allocated to public safety should be spent. He had failed to meet some DISP requirements, and Matarazzo could have tossed him in jail. With her appointment, Judge Moawad returned to the same courthouse where she worked for the first decade-plus of her career as a Multnomah County prosecutor. Family law is the most interesting law you can practice. In other words, an affidavited judge is guilty until proven innocent. "This experience is 10 times worse than breast cancer," says Matarazzo, who has survived two bouts with the disease. Matarazzo's disagreements with prosecutors extend beyond opinions about incarceration and sentencing. She's very down to earth.". These articles describe the exhaustive investigative and legal work necessary to secure Nazar Guls release: www.bit.ly/NazarGul1 and www.bit.ly/NazarGul2. [3] SRG Partnership was the lead architect, and Hoffman Construction Company lead contractor, both Portland based. Eventually, they came to understand that he had likely been confused for Chaman Gul, a known warlord, who was also imprisoned at Guantanamo. Seeing their resolve to impact social issues inspired her to apply to law school. Matarazzo and other judges working on the DISP court saw the mandatory sentence as a barrier to getting defendants into the treatment court. Setting off on her next career, McGuire attended Lewis & Clark Law School, graduating in 1995. Brown has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Oregon for 13 years, with a focus on civil rights enforcement. Stephen Bushong, a judge on the Multnomah County Circuit Court since 2008, will fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the planned retirement of Justice Thomas Balmer. and Judge Moawad is excited for the opening of the new courthouse and to see how the new space will allow the court to achieve better efficiency and results, particularly in high-volume courts. 2023 | Multnomah County General Information Line: 503-823-4000, Property Records (including tax statements), Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Multnomah County Circuit Court Records Department. Yet people with juvenile and criminal recordsespecially Black peoplesuffer from an alarmingly high and stubborn unemployment rate. As a judge, its a challenge he happily faces every day. Shes done this in her role as a sitting judge, but also in her participation in committees and task forces at the state and national level. "I'm not a walking hurricane anymore. Since the Underhill memo in June, Matarazzo has not been allowed to take on any criminal cases, which make up the majority of the work in the Multnomah County Courthouse. "If you take a judge's discretion away," Matarazzo says, "you might as well get a computer and plug in all of the factors and spit out a result.". As a family law judge, Judge McGuire oversees some estate and probate cases, and with her personal experience taking over a firm, she reminds lawyers to plan for the possibility that we could become incapacitated and unable to practice. Iniguez and Baggio and their team investigated the governments allegations against Gul and learned the details of his life and the circumstances under which he was in Gardez and captured. Kate Brown. Those listed include judges of the Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Tax Court, and the Oregon Court of Appeals at the state level. But there are people who worry that DAs have so much discretion that they control the justice system.". in Judge Eric Bloch, who ran the DISP court from 2003 to 2006, says he thinks Matarazzo's decisions fell within the parameters of treatment-court best practices and that Underhill's disagreement with her could have been resolved without the affidavit. They include: Allegations that in six instances over the past eight years, Matarazzo started a court proceeding without a prosecutor in the room. 2023 The Council of State Governments. The memo alleges that Matarazzo's reaction to the appeal reveals her bias against the state: "I can barely contain my contempt that the state appealed this," she is quoted as saying. In 2007, Patricia took a break from practicing law and traveled to Europe, something she had never done before. Matarazzo thinks the bad publicity may have interfered with her getting the Supreme Court appointment from Gov. We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. Waud says he graduated from DISP in January 2014, two years early. Mr. Matasar served as a mentor in private practice and was her sounding board for ideas. Our team works collaboratively with jurisdictions to understand the experiences and effects of victimization, increase access to victim services, and improve systemic responses through restitution and victim compensation programs. In the DISP court, Matarazzo regularly clashed with prosecutors over the 90-day mandatory minimum prison sentences that state law requires for defendants convicted of three DUIIs in 10 years. Judge Edward Jones, Multnomah County's chief criminal judge, says he's seen such a blanket affidavit filed only a handful of times in his 40-year legal career. The previous building, a century-old courthouse, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. "So I'm convinced that it created a problem for me there.". Deescalating his emotions was crucial for me, and I brought him into our office next to the trial court administrator. With her appointment, Judge Moawad returned to the same courthouse where she worked for the first decade-plus of her career as a Multnomah County prosecutor. An hour earlier, District Attorney Rod Underhill had called to request a meeting. I wanted to be able to explain to somebody who is being sent to the hospital for restoration, for example, what thats going to look like. Access to meaningful employment is a key component in reducing recidivism and creates pathways to increased economic mobility. fine Learn Only share sensitive information on official, secure websites. It helps them with the rulings of the court. The man started crying out of frustration and fear, but he was still angry, too. "They use that discretion not to charge people or to bring lower charges than they could bring. On three occasions, private lawyers have filed single-case affidavits against Matarazzo, but that's a pretty standard number for any circuit judge. That was Matarazzo's hope when she went on the bench. Judges for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon and judges from Oregon that have served on other federal courts are also listed. sociology leader writing, If this happens and decisions are reached even if not in their favor, they feel it was a fair decision. and Nobody on the panel vetting the Supreme Court candidates or in the governor's office could have missed it. In 2019, Governor Kate Brown appointed him to the Multnomah County Circuit Court. Underhill ran unopposed in 2012 and 2016. For over 100 years, the Multnomah Bar Association (MBA) has provided a forum for lawyers to gather together for collegiality, to improve the justice system, to provide law-related community service and to access services and benefits that strengthen professionalism, satisfaction and success. People come into court one way and then they may leave another. In August, Angela Franco Lucero '03 was appointed to the Multnomah County Circuit Court by Governor Kate Brown '85. If fundraising was any indicator, it was clear that both candidates really wanted the job, which pays about $154,700 a year. But when she became the presiding judge of the mental health court and competency dockets in 2018, she quickly realized the need to expand her understanding of the mental health care opportunities and challenges for people in the criminal justice system. Awareness It was a natural roll-over into becoming a judge. Judge Baggio went to Lewis & Clark Law School for its environmental law program. Driven by the passion to understand the law and reach the right result, she reads everything before hearing cases. Shortly after 4 pm on June 6, Circuit Judge Judith Matarazzo received an unusual visitor at her office in the Multnomah County Courthouse. in economics from Grinnell College in 1989. But in Matarazzo's case, Underhill went nuclear. This hard work under extreme circumstances exposed her to the variety of social, political, and economic challenges that are confronted by Oregonians across the state. Its my job to explain how the process works, explain what my role is, and find out what they need and how to help with their problems. Judge Baggio graduated high school in Alabama and went on to Wake Forest University where she graduated in 1995, cum laude, with a BA in Speech Communication and a minor in French. where Judge Alexander felt called to serve because he wants to make a positive difference in the lives of people who come before the court. "If our statistics show us that the rate of recidivism is substantially less in a court-supervised program, I'm probably pretty pragmatic and going to give them a shot," she says. In a 40-minute conversation, the county's top prosecutor explained that he planned to ask the court to remove Matarazzo from a case his office was prosecuting. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Judge Moawad managed the governors offices response to emergency incidents, including the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College, and the Malheur Wildlife Refuge occupation. A national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails, A data-driven initiative to help states prioritize spending for strategies that increase safety. From early on, Judge McGuire was aware of the struggles of legal work. Multnomah County is the only county in Oregon with a court for repeat DUII offenders. Judge Alexanders unique perspective - as a criminal prosecutor, in-house counsel, and private practice civil litigator - affords him the opportunity to make a daily impact on those who appear in his courtroom. (Initials)/(Assignment), Dept Number Phone Judicial Assistant Judicial Clerk 13-A / 13200 Albrecht (CAA)/(Chief Criminal), 31 971-274-0680 Vanessa DeJesus Benjamin Cregger 11-B / 11200 . He says Underhill's action sends a message to all judges. for Get started with the examples above. After graduation, she stayed in Winston- Salem and worked for a marketing and advertising firm for three years. She won election to the bench in 2006 after 20 years of trying civil cases in private practice. "The district attorney is saying 'we are never ever getting back together' with Judge Matarazzo.". Judith Matarazzo is one of 38 judges for the Multnomah County Circuit Court. In many communities, correctional facilities provide more treatment for people with mental illnesses than community-based mental health providers do. Voters chose Adrian Brown (left) over Rima Ghandour (right) on Nov. 3, 2020. I realized that we needed to build up our menu of what is available for people in the community and use the right level of support, she said. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the UnitedStates. a University Justice Adrienne Nelson Appointed to the US District Court of Oregon. There is no voicemail on this department's phone line. [1] The chief prosecutor is Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt. Telephone hours are8:30-10:30 am&1:30-4:30 pm. These responses are best implemented as part of a larger comprehensive, coordinated system, informed by community crisis data, and led by a diverse group of community stakeholders. Cesarean Judge Baggio took the bench in April 2019 as a general assignment judge and hears both criminal and civil matters. It is helpful to give people an opportunity to be heard. More Newsroom Stories Summer 2023 Courses Now Available After five years in criminal practice, Judge Alexander took a job as in-house litigation counsel with an energy company in Florida. Our team works with communities across the country to adopt and more effectively implement policies and practices shown to reduce recidivism and improve other youth outcomes. of As most of us know, complex litigation rarely has opportunities for court and Patricia McGuire really wanted to go to court. One night, as he slept in a house belonging to a man rumored to be in cahoots with the Taliban, Gul was swept up by US soldiers under the cover of darkness and taken to Guantanamo via the Bagram Air Base. Judge McGuire acknowledges the momentous nature of her appointment. A number of judges across the state have had similar blanket affidavits filed against them recently by district attorneys, according to the ACLU of Oregon. How you know For over 100 years, the Multnomah Bar Association (MBA) has provided a forum for lawyers to gather together for collegiality, to improve the justice system, to provide law-related community service and to access services and benefits that strengthen professionalism, satisfaction and success. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. It immediately put him more at ease. Despite the success of some treatment programs for people in the criminal justice system, just a fraction of the people who need these services receive them. A disproportionate number of people in the criminal justice system struggle with substance use disorders, many of whom also have co-occurring mental illnesses. While juvenile incarceration rates have dropped dramatically over the past decade, most juvenile justice systems are not operating as effectively as possible. You cant fix every problem. Does that mean he thinks Matarazzo is the least qualified member on the Multnomah County bench? Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). These experiences have given Judge Moawad a holistic understanding of and appreciation for the challenges and opportunities presented in criminal cases. After one year at the MPD, Judge Baggio returned to the FPDs office where she worked from 2002 to 2013 for then-Federal Public Defender Steve Wax. Justice Adrienne Nelson Appointed to the US District Court of Oregon. Across the country, many Republicanseven the Koch brothersare locking arms with liberal reformers to reduce incarceration. It was a regular Friday afternoon at the Multnomah County Courthouse in the spring of 2018. Columbia Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Heidi Moawad took the bench in April 2019. Judge Baggios core belief in the importance of the rule of law and the protection of basic rights grounds her work as a judge. One of her clients, who she represented along with Assistant Federal Public Defender Ruben L. Iniquez, was Nazar Chaman Gul, imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay Prison since 2003. View more information about UTCRs and SLRs. research, an as "I would hope that before the DA pushes that button," Bloch says, "there would be a clear track record that the DA tried to communicate with the judge about these concerns and that those concerns are rising to a level where the DA's office is concerned about the judge's ability to be fair to the state.". Waud says DISP saved his life and allowed him to rebuild a relationship with his daughter. Volunteering for Legal Aid Services of Oregon Pro Se Assistance Project gave her the familiarity of how to talk to folks. In effect, Underhill had sidelined an independently elected member of another branch of government who did not work for him. Attend a free virtual webinar, training, or event. He says he's become a different person. Some criminal justice reform advocates worry that even as lawmakers seek to rebalance the criminal justice system, the power of affidavits could curtail the independence of the judiciary. When she turned 18, she aged out of the foster care system and prepared her own adoption papers to formally have her foster parents adopt her. Matarazzo could still redeem herself in the DA's eyes. Senior Program Associate, Behavioral Health, Elizabeth All Rights Reserved. In his civil litigation practice, Judge Alexander handled everything from complex business litigation to plaintiff-side personal injury cases. The man at the counter was not persuaded. Waud, 37, who today says he is clean and sober, works at his family's funeral home. Ulanda Watkins. She won election to the bench in 2006 after 20 years of trying civil cases in private practice. While a student at Lewis & Clark Law School, Lucero demonstrated a profound commitment to creating a more diverse and equitable legal community by tutoring fellow minority law students and serving on the admissions committee . You might need to ask someone for assistance to figure out issues. She currently serves on the board of Lincoln Youth Football. MA "I needed a change . This look-up tool connects you with Parole-Probation Officers (PPOs) for individuals under supervision with the Adult Services Division. After law school she joined the Metropolitan Public Defenders (MPD) office in Portland. Visual The Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation have partnered to highlight leaders working to address mental health needs among people in the criminal justice system through innovative practices and programs. "She's an excellent judge," Durham says, "and an excellent student of the law.". "The community is in danger. It gave me a structure and a different way to live a life.". Multnomah Bar Association LSAT Preparation Course Scholarship - Apply Now! Call ahead if you plan to visit at 503-988-3475. She took over Department 11 for retiring Judge Kenneth Walker. . She says her goal is the fair administration of justice and to slow the revolving door of offenders who cycle through the courtrooms and jails. Elizabeth Fleming. An official website of the State of Oregon . Matarazzo is not the only judge who's feeling prosecutors' wrath. She must walk the line of helping solve their problems, providing all the available options, but not giving legal advice.

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