Juliet Britton
Candidate for:
Multnomah County Circuit Court - Position 2
What drives me to seek an elected position
I am a lifelong public servant. I am currently the appointed municipal court presiding judge at Beaverton Municipal Court, one of the busiest municipal courts in Oregon. My focus over the last eight years has been to create judicial programs that address root causes of criminal behavior, including presiding over a nationally recognized drug treatment court and a behavioral health court. I am running because I have over 25 years of judicial and legal experience that I can bring to the county that I have called home for the last 17 years. Multnomah County Circuit Court appeals to me because it has the most specialty programs than any other Oregon court, including restorative justice programs, treatment courts and diversion programs that address root causes of criminal behavior.
This position is being vacated by Judge Waller which leaves a void at Multnomah Circuit Court because of her expertise related to mental illness. For the last 16 years, I have focused on this area of law extensively and I bring expertise in mental health and addiction to the bench. I want to be part of the solution that addresses some of the biggest challenges in my county.
The first three priorities or issues I want to tackle
I agree strongly that our criminal justice system must focus on rehabilitation. My first priority will be to advocate that I be assigned to one of the treatment courts which is an alternative to incarceration. I am a nationally recognized treatment court judge and can preside over a treatment court from day one.
My second priority will be to help reduce the backlog of cases and increase access to justice. I am a seasoned settlement conference judge who is successful in assisting parties to negotiate a resolution to a case where both sides believe it is the best outcome. I can offer settlement conferences immediately.
My third priority will be to evaluate current courtroom procedures for any barriers that might be disproportionately affecting underserved populations. I often see new policies have unintended consequences. For example, courts are moving towards paperless systems which means those without technology or tech literacy have difficulty in accessing information or miss important court notifications. I am particularly concerned for victims and defendants who have limited means and do not have phones or a physical address to receive information. I will make it my practice to address these barriers with each litigant on every case to ensure full access to justice.
The experiences and insights I will bring to the office
I am the only candidate for this position who is a current judge. I bring over eight years of judicial experience to this position, including training new judges both in Oregon and nationally.
Being a judge takes skills more than just being a good attorney. Judges need to be leaders and have the skills to implement programs. Judges are at the forefront of justice reform and develop many of the programs that align with this organization’s priorities. As you can see from my voter pamphlet, I have a strong record of leadership both in the legal setting and in our community. For example, my B-SOBR drug treatment court was selected as one of ten Mentor Courts in the nation by the Treatment Court Institute in 2025. This means courts from all over the U.S. come to my court to learn about how to implement a best practices treatment court. Additionally, I created a behavioral health court so my experience as a judge working on treatment courts is substantial.
Finally, I am the only veteran seeking this position. To that end, I am someone who can understand service-related challenges that justice involved veterans face as well as identify areas in our justice system that can better meet their needs.
What being a Democrat in Multnomah County means to me
I am committed to the rule of law and will make rulings based on laws, not personal belief. I will not ignore systems or processes that disproportionately affect groups of people and will constantly evaluate how I can improve our justice system to make it accessible to all. I also feel that community service is a value that Multnomah County Democrats prioritize and my record shows that I give substantially back to my community through my not-for-profit work with the Oregon Judges Association, American Bar Association, Guardian Partners and the American Legion. I am more than just a judge in the courtroom who presides over cases. I develop special projects that educate the public on courts and reinforce that courts ensure fundamental rights are upheld. For example, I host an annual free wedding event every June to celebrate marriage equality. I also developed a Reading and Robes program in local schools to have judges speak to third graders about the constitution, justice and courts. Public engagement is a fundamental principle of the Democratic Party and if elected, I plan to continue developing programs that instill confidence in the judicial system.