Chris Behre
Candidate for:
Multnomah County Circuit Court - Position 2
What drives me to seek an elected position
I’ve spent my career representing people at some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Growing up, my dad was diagnosed with schizophrenia and got denied disability benefits repeatedly. A judge finally heard our case and granted my dad the benefits that saved our family. That decision inspired me to pursue public service and shaped my understanding of what a thoughtful judge can mean to a family in crisis.
For my first 10 years I worked for legal aid providing free legal services to survivors of domestic violence. For the last 13 years, I’ve served as a public defender, handling cases from misdemeanors to serious felony trials. More recently, my work has focused on treatment courts and collaborative justice models, including helping develop STEP Court, which is designed to address underlying issues like addiction, mental illness and instability while improving public safety.
I’ve spent over 20,000 hours arguing cases in front of a judge—I am deeply familiar with the acute challenges facing Multnomah County’s courts. Balancing accountability with rehabilitation has been my life’s work. I’ll bring the preparation, work ethic, impartiality, compassion and discipline that it takes to manage a senior public defender’s caseload to the bench.
The first three priorities or issues I want to tackle
Multnomah County courts are plagued by a backlog due to a public defender shortage and excessive prosecutions. I am prepared to implement the following priorities on day one.
1. Managing dockets efficiently and insisting on early, realistic case assessment.
2. Supporting lawful alternatives to detention like diversion and restorative justice models.
3. Using my position of authority to be vocal about what is causing delays.
Bringing a case that should never have been filed has catastrophic consequences for the accused, the victim and our limited resources.
Attorneys often ask judges for feedback after a trial. As a judge, I would not be shy about encouraging prosecutors to better exercise their discretion. On the other hand, defense attorneys and their clients often need a “reality check” too. Being realistic about offers during settlement conferences can significantly unburden the court. I’ve participated in hundreds of settlement conferences and have seen how an off-the-record conversation with a judge can lead to efficient resolution.
By cultivating a reputation of being effective, fair and available to both sides, a judge can provide a trusted place for early resolution.
The experiences and insights I will bring to the office
A significant portion of my practice has involved clients dealing with mental illness, substance use, housing instability and other forms of crisis. Growing up with a father living with schizophrenia showed me how life-altering it can be when the system responds with patience and care rather than indifference.
I helped develop Strategic Treatment and Engagement Program (STEP) Court, a groundbreaking treatment court, where judges, lawyers and providers collaborate around treatment, accountability and public safety. For the last three years I have served as the primary STEP Court defense attorney.
Over that time I’ve learned that services are often not realistically available at the level people need, when they need them, and judges must understand that noncompliance can be a function of a strained system, trauma or cognitive limitation.
I’ve learned there are recovery community services that are readily available when someone is ready to get sober, even if a space in inpatient or intensive outpatient care is not.
I’ve learned that accountability must be individualized and grounded in the person’s actual circumstances. A good judge must be clear-eyed about both the limits of the service system and the importance of lawful expectations.
What being a Democrat in Multnomah County means to me
As a candidate for judge, I am constrained by the Oregon Judicial Code of Conduct which limits me from making “pledges, promises or commitments that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of judicial office.”
I can say that I have been a registered Democrat for over 26 years. Furthermore, I believe that the courts and the power of the people’s vote are the last bastions against tyranny.