Three applicants up for consideration to replace Judge Turner, who resigned Aug. 30
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
The Ashland City Council will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. today, Oct. 30, to appoint a candidate to fill the position of municipal judge for the remainder of the recently retired Pamela Turner’s term of office, according to meeting materials on the city of Ashland’s website.
Judge Turner’s resignation was effective Aug. 30, triggering a city charter requirement the Ashland City Council appoint a replacement judge within 60 days.
According to the posted job description, the judge presides over jury and non-jury trials and renders judgements for misdemeanor cases, violations of city ordinances, and any other cases within the jurisdiction of the municipal court; authorizes issuance of various warrants; adjudicates non-jury trial violations based upon evidence and, if need be, imposes sentencing in accordance with the Oregon revised Statutes; arraigns inmates, reviews fines, and sets restitution; and works closely with municipal court staff, and other city departments.
Letters of interest from three individuals are included in the meeting packet: Jesse London, who began his legal career as clerk for two federal judges and has served as judge pro tempore in Veneta and Cottage Grove, Oregon, in recent years; Ryan Mulkins, current judge pro tem for the Medford Municipal Court and part-time deputy district attorney in the county district attorney’s office; and Laurance Parker, who has argued cases before the Court of Appeals for Oregon, served as a criminal defense attorney at the Southern Oregon Public Defender’s Office and is staff attorney for Los Abogados, which provides indigent criminal defense.
The meeting is set to start at 5:30 p.m. in the Ashland City Council chamber, 1175 E. Main St. The meeting can be attended in person or watched remotely through Channel 9 or Channels 180 and 181 (Charter Communications) or live streamed via rvtv.sou.edu select RVTV Prime.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news. Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling contributed to this report.
