About Paul Neese

Running For

Clackamas County Circuit Court
5th Judicial District
Position 13

I'm Paul Neese, and I'm running for the newly created position on the Clackamas County Circuit Court because our courts need a judge who has dedicated a lengthy career to protecting children, problem solving for families, and ensuring our justice system lives up to its promise of fairness for all.

I am running to be a judge in Clackamas County because I want to serve — by putting into action my problem solving experience, my commitment to the public good and the rule of law, my understanding of how our courts work, and my preparation to make the tough decisions required by the law and the facts in each case.

I was born and raised in Arizona in a working family. My mother was a secretary, and my father was an auto mechanic, truck driver, and small business owner. My grandparents, extended family, and church community were big parts of my formative years as well. Growing up, I learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and treating people fairly and with respect. From a young age and through my teenage years, I was involved in the Scouting program — eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout and being inducted into the Order of the Arrow. Serving the public is in my DNA. These life lessons have guided everything I've done since.

I went to law school because I wanted to make a positive difference in the world. For more than 22 years, that's what I've done — most of it in service of children and families in crisis. I'm a first-generation lawyer focused on improving life for people and working to ensure the legal system meets community needs and lives up to its obligations to the people.

As a new lawyer, I opened my own law office in Lake Oswego to serve Clackamas County and the tri-county area. Very early in my career I became a public defender, representing parents and children in some of the most difficult moments of their lives. That even included work in the Grand Ronde Tribal Court. I served as Assistant General Counsel at the Oregon State Bar, where I evaluated and made initial determinations of ethics complaints, advised lawyers from all over the state on professional responsibility, and presented continuing legal education seminars.

When I returned to juvenile practice and saw that families in Clackamas County needed more from the juvenile court system, I built a solution: Juvenile Advocates of Clackamas, a defense consortium I founded (along with four other experienced practitioners) and administered to improve the quality of legal representation in dependency and delinquency cases. I worked closely with judges and other stakeholders behind the scenes in court workgroups to improve how the court serves the people of Clackamas County. Those improvements continue to benefit families and the entire community.

I serve as a Senior Assistant Attorney General at the Oregon Department of Justice in the Child Advocacy and Protection Division. I handle complex, high-volume juvenile court litigation focused on protecting children, advise on child welfare matters, mentor fellow attorneys, play a lead role in conducting court trainings for caseworkers, and work to improve outcomes for children here locally and statewide. I am a member of the Multnomah County Model Court Team, once again working alongside judges and practitioners to improve outcomes for families, continuing in tradition of the court enhancement work I have done in Clackamas County.

I love my work because it makes a real difference in the lives of kids and families of every background. A lot of it goes unnoticed by the broader community, but it is vital for families in crisis. I've been honored to help achieve good outcomes, handling some of the toughest cases in our courts, problem solving when things fall apart, and pushing individual cases and complex systems in better directions.

What sets me apart is the balanced perspective I bring. I'm currently a Senior Assistant Attorney General. I've represented children and parents as a defense attorney. I've handled legal ethics matters. I've worked behind the scenes to improve the way the courts work and serve our communities. Most judicial candidates have focused their careers on one side of the courtroom or one area of practice. I've had deep experience on multiple sides. That perspective is essential to judging fairly and with good sense.

In my personal life, I've had the privilege to serve in the Asian American community, in particular with families who have rebuilt their lives in the US after fleeing Cambodia and Laos as refugees. I have learned how to speak, read, and write both languages. And I've had the honor of being welcomed into these communities and learning how renewal can come from even the most shattered life.

I'm also a proud dad, grandfather, and husband. My wife Phetmaly and I have lived in the Portland area since 2002, and have raised our family in Tigard. We have a multicultural and multigenerational household that works for us and it has given us insight into how families come in many beautiful forms. My commitment to children and families isn't just professional — it's personal.

Outside the courtroom, I'm a first tenor with the Oregon Repertory Singers, and I've played the piano since age five. Music fills my life and has taught me empathy and how important it is to listen. My family and I are big Comic Con enthusiasts, and anyone who knows me will tell you I am a lifelong geek of the highest order when it comes to Star Wars, Star Trek, and The Lord of the Rings, and the lessons they teach.

I want to bring a seasoned and balanced perspective to each case and be part of protecting the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary — which is even more important in a time when confidence in our systems is fraying. I want to make the bench better by bringing my range of experience, skill, and insight to help the court be more responsive to the ground-level needs of the community.

We are in a time when it is crucial to strengthen public confidence in our institutions and an independent judiciary. If elected, I will apply the law without bias, ensure genuine access to justice by treating all people who enter the courtroom with dignity, respect, and humanity, be a good steward of the public trust, and help our community have greater confidence in the vital role our courts play in all of our lives.

I would be honored to earn your support.