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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 4, 2006 Former senator seeking judgeship By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune A former state senator joins three other local attorneys in the race to become Jackson County’s newest judge. Ron Grensky announced his candidacy Friday for Jackson County Circuit Court Judge position 9. The new post — approved in last year’s legislative session — is not filled. Other candidates are Joe Charter, Lisa Greif and Paul Henderson. Grensky has served as a Circuit Court pro-tem judge and focuses his Medford law practice on personal injury claims. "I feel that I’m the most qualified candidate," Grensky said. Advertisement Grensky plans to make a formal announcement at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the county’s juvenile services building, 609 W. 10th St., Medford. Grensky’s bid is his second for Circuit Court judge. He lost to incumbent Phil Arnold in 1998 after a high-profile campaign believed to have been the most expensive in the county that year. As a Republican state senator, Grensky served southwestern Jackson County and most of Josephine County from 1989 to 1992. He chose not to seek re-election. His history as an Oregon legislator was apparent in Grensky’s contest against Arnold. Emphasizing issues such as mandatory sentencing painted him as a conservative vying for the non-partisan position. Medford attorney Joe Charter lost his own hotly contested judgeship in 2002. Charter’s bid against Bill Purdy was compared to the Grensky-Arnold matchup in large expenditures and prominent media exposure. Charter was elected in 2004 as the first justice of the peace for the county’s Southern Justice Court in Central Point, which handles sheriff’s-department traffic citations. Charter became the county’s sole justice of the peace with the resignation of former Gold Hill Justice Robert King, who was cited in 2004 for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana. In 1997, Charter applied with the governor’s office for the position of Circuit Court judge but was not awarded the post. Specializing in employment and civil rights cases, Charter also has served as a Circuit Court pro-tem judge. Medford criminal defense attorney Lisa C. Greif was first to file for the new judgeship. She is the past president of the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the first Medford attorney elected to the position in the organization’s 25-year history. She is a senior staff attorney at Southern Oregon Public Defender. Medford family and divorce attorney Paul L. Henderson III finalized his bid for position 9 in January. The two highest vote-getters in the May 16 primary will face off in the Nov. 7 general election. The county’s only other Circuit Court judgeship up for election is held by Ray White. The incumbent judge is the only candidate who has filed for the position with the Secretary of State’s Office. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Absinthe Supply Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Debt Consolidation California Casinos Generic Viagra Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Hammocks Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada King of Spirits Advertisement s Advertisement