March 02, 2018

Governor Brown Appoints Lewis & Clark Law Alumnus Raymond Crutchley to Deschutes County Circuit Court

Judge Raymond Crutchley ’99, was appointed by Governor Kate Brown to the Deschutes County Circuit Court earlier this month. He is the first African American to serve as a judge east of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains.

Judge Raymond Crutchley ’99, was appointed by Governor Kate Brown ’85, to the Deschutes County Circuit Court earlier this month. He is the first African American to serve as a judge east of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains.

After serving a judicial clerkship in Clackamas County, Crutchley practiced in Northeast Portland and Hillsboro representing underserved clients in criminal defense and civil matters for more than a decade. He spent three years prosecuting criminal cases as a Deputy District Attorney in Deschutes County before his appointment to the bench.

“We congratulate Ray on this well-deserved appointment, said Lewis & Clark Law School Dean Jennifer Johnson. “Throughout his time in law school, Ray demonstrated a fearless and calm sense of adventure, and his journey through law practice in NE Portland, Hillsboro, and Bend was guided by a steady moral compass. Oregon is fortunate to have him on the bench.”

Announcing the appointment, Governor Brown noted, “Ray Crutchley is a person of unbounded talent, energy, and passion, who embodies the very essence of the American dream. His diverse life experiences and commitment to justice will serve him well on the bench, allowing him to connect with a wide range of litigants who appear in his courtroom.”

Crutchley was born and raised in Jamaica and immigrated to New York at age eleven with his single mother. Prior to law school, he served in the United States Marine Corps from 1988-1992 and then received a bachelor’s degree from Queens College in 1995.