It’s impossible to take politics out of the process completely, but the community made the appointment, approved by the Governor of Oregon

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Klamath Falls, Oregon Vacancy in the Judicial Office

When a vacancy occurs in the office of judge of any court, the Governor will fill the vacancy. The appointee serves until the next election. The term of the office will be six years that begins the first Monday of January of the next odd numbered year.

Governor appoints qualified person to serve until successor is elected.

Voters’ safest bet is to trust the assessment of other judges, who have a working relationship with a candidate. First by recommending the candidate, and, then appointment, as the best candidate to fill the vacant seat of a retiring judge, by the community who knows the candidate best as to their skills and qualifications for the position of judge in the circuit court of Klamath County.

In the situation where, " It’s impossible to take politics out of the process completely", and here is why.

It is difficult not to politicize what has been described as non-political when recommending a candidate to be appointed to fill a spot being vacated by a well respected judge whose time has come to retire. And who will be the one to follow in their foot steps and how they may feel about being the one recommended for the replacement of that spot, no matter how temporary it may be until the next election.

Where it is, "the community that appointed this person", with the governor following through with the recommendation of this person because the governor listened to the community: the judges, the community partners, and the people on the ground, doing the work.

Hence: An appointment was made by a recommendation from the judges, the community partners, and the people on the ground, doing the work by doing their best to leave politics out of it and to appoint the most qualified at the time to fill the shoes of a retiring judge.

And what the person being tasked with this appointment by the community feels while being asked the following question?

How does it feel to be appointed by the community in its entirety? Alycia Edgeworth Kersey responded by saying in her own words, "It is an unbelievable honor to step into the shoes of Judge Roxanne Osborne. Her leadership and innovation from the bench has changed our community - not just our courthouse. Her shoes are big, and I hope to fill them by continuing her legacy of community involvement and creative problem solving."

Alycia Edgeworth Kersey was sworn in as Klamath County’s newest Circuit Court judge by her predecessor Roxanne Osborne. The Governor’s office considered three candidates, Nathan J Ratliff, Joshua C Guest, and Bonnie Lam in addition to Alycia Edgeworth Kersey, for the position.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown appointed Alycia Edgeworth Kersey to fill the chair after Osborne’s July 31 retirement by listening to the recommendation and to repeat by the community: the judges, the community partners, and the people on the ground, doing the work.

Alycia Edgeworth Kersey has diversified experience necessary to discharge the duties of a judge wherein a judge handles all types of cases, including criminal, civil, domestic relations, probate, and water cases. And Alycia Edgeworth Kersey worked carefully and strategically to build strong relationships of trust with community partners so that we can all work together to find creative ways to safeguard community safety and deliver fair and impartial justice, so that all voices are heard. Alycia Edgeworth Kersey was heavily vetted by the Oregon State Police for this position, and supported wholeheartedly by the community, which is evident by her endorsements and relationships.

Criminal: I have been on both sides: as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney.

Civil: I have represented families and litigants in civil matters, as both petitioner and respondent.

Probate: I was appointed as Probate Commissioner for the 13th Judicial District in 2013.

Water: I clerked for Judge Cameron Wogan on the Klamath Adjudication case, and she is intimately familiar with it's impact on our basin.

Alycia Edgeworth Kersey is committed to protecting our Klamath way of life by (1) guarding the rights of all citizens, (2) delivering fair and impartial justice to every person who enters her courtroom, (3) being a kind, respectful listener and decisionmaker, and (4) protecting the vulnerable and safeguarding community safety by offering treatment to those who take accountability, and punishment for those who do not.

She is particularly focused on restoring faith in the justice system by supporting families and small businesses, and encouraging the next generation of citizens to see the courthouse as a safe haven as opposed to a place of punishment.

The above is part of Alycia Edgeworth Kersey's own responses in replying to the 10 questions submitted from the following link: 10 questions judicial candidates should be able to answer By Eric van der Vort

In turn the following have endorsed and officially recommended Alycia Edgeworth Kersey be the next judge to replace Judge Roxanne Osborne: Presiding Judge Marci Adkisson, Senior Judge Roxanne Osborne, Judge W. Dan Bunch, Donnie Boyd, Kelley Minty Morris and Stan Gilbert.

James C. Garland
Candidate for Mayor
Klamath Falls, Oregon