John Casalino
Candidate for:
Multnomah County Circuit Court - Position 5
What drives me to seek an elected position
For 29 years I have been committed to public service and to a court system that is fair, efficient and accessible to everyone. As a Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney and Senior Assistant Attorney General, I have focused my career on child abuse and domestic violence. This experience taught me how profoundly court decisions affect safety, stability and due process for victims, families and defendants. I also worked to improve systems—not just individual cases—because consistent, well-run processes are essential to equal justice. As a Chief Deputy District Attorney in Multnomah and as Acting District Attorney in Klamath, I gained management experience leading teams, setting priorities and delivering results. People come to court carrying trauma, fear and uncertainty; they deserve a judge who listens, treats every person with dignity and decides matters based on the facts and the law—not assumptions. I am also motivated to reduce unnecessary delay, because justice delayed harms everyone and erodes public trust. I want to bring steady temperament, preparedness and sound judgment to the bench so litigants, jurors, attorneys and court staff can rely on a courtroom that is respectful, transparent and focused on timely, legally correct outcomes.
The first three priorities or issues I want to tackle
I am running for a nonpartisan position and bound by the Oregon Code of Judicial Conduct so this position does not support any party’s platform. As I judge, however, I will seek:
1. Timely justice—using firm but fair case management to reduce avoidable delay and address backlog.
2. Access to justice and consistent, legally sound decision-making—applying the law impartially, explaining rulings clearly and promoting public trust through transparency and professionalism. I will also partner with court staff, treatment providers and justice-system stakeholders to identify practical system improvements that strengthen outcomes while protecting constitutional rights. I want to make the process understandable for self-represented parties and ensuring every person is treated with dignity and patience.
3. Safe, trauma-informed courtrooms—maintaining an atmosphere that promotes compassion, stability and predictability.
The experiences and insights I will bring to the office
I bring nearly three decades of public-service experience in Oregon courts, including as a Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney and Senior Assistant Attorney General, with a focus on child abuse and domestic violence—areas where the stakes are high and the need for fairness, safety and due process is constant. I have tried cases, worked with victims, families and defense counsel, and I made difficult decisions guided by evidence, law and sound judgment. I also bring leadership and operational experience: as Chief Deputy District Attorney in Multnomah County and Acting District Attorney in Klamath County, I supervised attorneys and staff, managed priorities and resources and held teams to high standards of professionalism and ethics. Finally, I have a record of improving systems, not just handling individual cases—identifying practical changes that make the process more efficient, consistent and accessible. That combination of deep courtroom experience, trauma-informed perspective and proven management and system-improvement work makes me prepared to serve effectively from day one.
What being a Democrat in Multnomah County means to me
I am running for a nonpartisan judicial office, and if elected my duty will be to apply the law fairly and impartially—regardless of politics or the parties before the court.