Letters to the editor LGO teaser

A simple solution could have dispelled much of the Judge Williams disqualification controversy. The new law requires a party to demonstrate “reasonable good faith” instead of the old statute’s “good faith” in order for an attorney to disqualify a judge. Gov. Kotek signed this bill in mid-July 2023. Judge Williams had more than five months to prepare his challenge to DA McDaniels’ disqualification motion before the law’s effective date of Jan. 1, 2024.

The district attorney’s motion was filed in early April 2020, and runs 31 pages. It lists more than 40 instances in 2019 and 2020 to support her reasons for disqualifying Judge Williams. Had he challenged the “reasonable good faith” of her motion early this year, the hearing would have been transparent and open to the public. This matter would have been resolved before the May election. Bottom line: If Judge Williams felt he would prevail in his challenge, why didn’t he file it?

After Judge Williams took office in 2019, the DA waited 15 months for him to make the transition from a criminal defense lawyer to a judicial role that treats impartially a defendant, a victim and their attorneys. If you read her motion to disqualify, which is available on The Observer’s website in an article that covers this issue, you will understand why she believed it necessary to take such an unusual and rare step on behalf of the citizens of Union County.

Eric Valentine

Retired judge

La Grande