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Court race offers experience vs. innovation By DANI DODGE Mail Tribune In the race for Jackson County Circuit Court judge, one candidate is running on the strength of his reputation, the other on the power of his ideas. Bill Purdy has been an attorney in Medford for 33 years. During that time, he's worked with some of the most prestigious attorneys in the Rogue Valley including Otto Frohnmayer. He also worked as corporate counsel for Asante, an arbitrator in major construction cases, and currently volunteers his time representing people in dire legal circumstances who can't afford an attorney. Joe Charter Age: 44 Family: two daughters ages 8 and 11 Residence: Ashland Professional experience: Jackson County Circuit Court pro tem judge, 1996 to 1997 and 1999 to 2002; Charter & Associates (Medford) partner, 1997 to present; Werdell, Charter & Hanson (Medford) partner, 1992 to 1996; Grantland, Grensky & Blodgett (Medford) associate, 1991 to 1992; private practice in Yreka, Calif., 1990; Hellen, Partnow & Condon (Anchorage, Alaska) associate, 1986 to 1989; law clerk for Superior Court Judge Walter Carpeneti (Juneau, Alaska), 1984 to 1985. Professional associations: member of Oregon State Bar family and juvenile law, civil rights and employment law sections, member of Jackson and Josephine County Courts Arbitrator and Mediator panels; mediator for Mediation Works/Jackson County Courts Small Claims Mediation Program, 1997 to 2000; facilitator for Talent City Council annual goal-setting session, March 1997; member of Jackson County Courts Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, 1997 to 2001; member of Oregon State Bar House of Delegates, 1999 to 2002. Community involvement: Ashland Forest Lands Commission, 2000 to 2002; Medford School District 549C Budget Committee, 1999; Medford Charter Review Committee, 1998; Medford Planning Commission, 1994 to 1995; nonprofit Rural Outdoor Education board member, 1996 to 1998; Samaritan Counseling Center board member, 1996 to 1999; Ascension Lutheran Church council member, 1995 to 1998 (president 1997 to 1998); Jackson Elementary School SMART program reading volunteer, 1998 to 1999; Child Care Connections advisory board member, 1993 to 1997; Rogue Valley Civic League member, 1993 to 1996. Education: juris doctor, University of California at Berkeley, 1984; bachelor's degree, University of Michigan, 1980. Web site: www.JoeForJudge.com. "My broad-based experience gives me a basis for better judgments," Purdy said. His opponent, Joe Charter, though, has mostly worked in small firms during his 12 years in the Rogue Valley. The current Jackson County Bar president, Charter has proposed making courts more effective by requiring mandatory settlement conferences for civil cases. "Somebody loses when there is a trial, but when there is a settlement there's a possibility that both sides can achieve something to their satisfaction," Charter said. "We ought to be healers of conflict." Charter and Purdy are vying for Circuit Court Position 8, a new judicial position created by the Legislature to relieve Jackson County's overcrowded courts. The nonpartisan position will be on the May 21 primary election ballot. Ballots for the mail-in election go out Saturday. Eighty-two-year-old Walt Nunley also applied to be on the ballot, but was disqualified because 75 is the mandatory retirement age for Circuit Court judges. He has said he would welcome write-in votes. Circuit Court Position 8 is one of two judicial positions opening up in Jackson County. The governor on Monday appointed former Public Defender Lorenzo Mejia to replace retiring Circuit Court Judge Ross Davis in Circuit Court Position 1. Four people applied for the appointment, including Charter. Purdy declined to seek the appointment. "I knew I had a chance in the race, so I didn't need the governor's appointment," he said. If attorneys were the only voters, Purdy would be a clear winner. Campaign finance reports showed Purdy got donations from 26 attorneys in the first campaign finance reporting period, and Charter only got five. In a preference poll of Jackson County attorneys, twice as many picked Purdy (91) as Charter (44) as their choice for judge. (In the bar poll ranking attorneys seeking appointment, Charter came in third out of four candidates.) Charter surmised that Purdy owes his popularity to the fact he's been around longer, developed friendships, and is better known by established attorneys. "Also, I've been talking a lot about mediation which is not necessarily in the best economic interest of attorneys," Charter said. Many voters won't have a chance to get to know Purdy. He failed to file his candidate's statement in time to get it into the voters' pamphlet. Bill Purdy Age: 68 Family: wife Nancy and three children, twin boys ages 33 and daughter, 28. Residence: Medford Professional experience: Jackson County Circuit Court pro tem judge, since 1983; Foster, Purdy, Allan, Peterson & Dahlin (Medford) partner and counsel, 1980 to 2000; Asante Health Systems (Medford) corporate counsel, 1996 to 2000; Associated General Contractors Columbia Chapter counsel, 1992; Frohnmayer, Deatherage, Foster & Purdy (Medford) partner/associate, 1969 to 1979; Mautz, Souther, Spaulding, Kinsey & Williamson (Portland) associate, 1966 to 1969. Professional associations: president, Jackson County Bar Association, early 1980s; Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners, 1977 to 1980; president, Oregon Association of Hospital Attorneys, 1980s. Also served on Oregon State Bar trial board for disciplinary matters and local disciplinary review panel. Community involvement: chairman of American Red Cross, Rogue Valley Chapter, 1991 to 1993; board president of Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 1983 to 1985; chairman of Oregon Shakespeare Festival Endowment Fund, 1988 to 1991; chairman of Southern Oregon Historical Society Foundation board, 1997; chairman of Medford Family YMCA board, 1974; member of Jackson County Juvenile Justice Committee, 1980s; chairman of Jackson County Justice Building Citizens Committee, 1972 to 1978; director of Southern Oregon University Foundation board, 1980s; director of Southern Oregon Drug Awareness board, early 1990s. Education: juris doctor with distinction, University of Iowa Law School, 1966; bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Iowa State University, 1959. Web site: www.purdy4judge.com. "I think it gives me a lot of impetus to work harder and go door-to-door," Purdy said of the mistake. "And we've stepped up the advertising." Charter first pointed out the missed deadline in a debate several weeks ago, noting "we need judges who can be timely in making decisions." Charter has focused his campaign on ideas, many of which were developed when he and his staff got together to try to figure out how to inspire people to vote. Early in his campaign he began running television ads that emphasized his experience as a mediator and his belief that divorce should be seen not as the end of the family, but as a "restructuring." Among his plans for improving the court system, he most often stresses making settlement conferences mandatory in civil cases, as they are in Klamath Falls. "In Klamath Falls, they try about 1 percent of their civil cases - we do about three times that much," Charter said. "I've talked to all the (Jackson County) judges and most are receptive to that." But, Purdy noted that Klamath Falls judges process only two-thirds the number of cases as Jackson County judges. "While I don't have any problems with (mandatory settlement conferences), I do have a problem with creating issues when none exist," Purdy said. "We've got the most efficient, hardest working judges in the state. "Why would you suggest they change?" In the past decade, Charter handled a number of high-profile cases, including a male hairstylist who was sued for sexual harassment, opponents to a rock mine outside of Ashland, and a supervisor hurt on the job at Praegitzer Industries. In that case, Charter won the largest back-wages award in Southern Oregon. In 1996, he represented the family of a woman abused in a Medford nursing home. "The principle of this case involves more than just money," Charter said at the time. "The principle involves holding those accountable who are entrusted with the well-being of those who are the weakest and most vulnerable among us, and protecting them from abuse." Charter also has garnered ink for his political activities. In 1998, Charter ran for County Commissioner in the Democratic primary and lost to Cleve Wright. In 1995, Charter sponsored an initiative petition to reform the county's charter, eliminating the three full-time county commissioners and replacing them with seven part-timers. He has requested appointment to both the Medford and the Ashland city councils (he moved from Medford to Ashland in July 2000) but was turned down. Most recently, in 2000, Charter applied to get on the ballot as an Ashland parks commissioner, but was disqualified when he didn't turn in enough valid signatures. Charter has served on several city committees, including the Medford Planning Commission and the Ashland Forest Lands Commission. Charter said he sees his political activities "as community service and public service, a way to get involved and be part of the decisions that affect the community." Purdy's only political involvement was in the early 1970s when he was a member of the Republican Central Committee. He's also had fewer high-profile cases than Charter, instead concentrating on construction and medical law, although he represented Congressman Wes Cooley in 1994 when Cooley was accused of not paying child support in California. Purdy most often shows up in the newspaper for his work with nonprofit agencies and groups. He was twice elected as president of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival board. When he was Southern Oregon Drug Awareness board member, he paid for Iowa's drug enforcement and abuse coordinator to come to the Rogue Valley for a series of talks and forums. In the mid-1970s, he was the chairman of a citizens group that advocated construction of a new courthouse. "Otto Frohnmayer told me 'Bill we need a new justice building' " Purdy said. "While I knew we needed some new courtrooms, I wasn't convinced it wouldn't be better investment to remodel the existing courthouse. But after reviewing the studies I concluded Otto was right - it would be penny wise and pound foolish to remodel the old courthouse." The new Justice Building was built in 1978. Since January, Purdy has attended sessions of the new drug court program that allows drug offenders to get reduced sentences in exchange for participating in a yearlong program of supervision by a judge and social service agencies. He's been impressed. "They are focused on the family and getting people into treatment," Purdy said. "The concept is if we can do a better job intervening in addiction, maybe they won't be such a big user of the court system in the future." Purdy noted a case in which Judge Davis dealt with a young teenage girl who had been caught using illegal substances. Social service workers in the program expected Davis to punish her. "Instead, Judge Davis invited the girl to spend a day in court with him," Purdy said, tears coming to his eyes. Last month, Purdy won the state bar association's Pro Bono Challenge in the emeritus category by providing 375 hours of free legal services in 2001. Charter, though, has pointed out that Purdy, who retired from his practice in 2000, is getting close to the mandatory retirement age for judges. "I would argue I'm a better investment than Bill Purdy," said the 44-year-old Charter. Purdy, 68, said he believes he would be a good judge during his tenure and would continue on as a senior judge hearing selected cases after he reaches the retirement age of 75. "Sometimes one term for one judge is better than five for another," Purdy said. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.