>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Oregon Chief Justice Paul De Muniz is committed to enhancing Oregon’s legal system. Not only is he striving to bring Oregon’s court system into the 21st century, but he’s committed to making sure Oregon’s young people have a chance to see the Oregon Supreme Court in action.

The chief justice recently brought the state Supreme Court to Enterprise and La Grande where it held sessions in the local high schools. The justices heard arguments in Enterprise and La Grande for actual cases pending before the high court, then answered questions from students.

This wasn’t an unusual event. All seven justices regularly hit the road to provide Oregonians with a chance to experience a real Supreme Court session. The visits to the various regions of Oregon bring the law and the legal system up close and personal to the public — just as the Court of Appeals has been doing since De Muniz served on it.

The chief justice is committed to increasing the court’s visibility in Oregon and, hopefully, expanding Oregonians’ knowledge of how the judicial system works. He likes to remind the citizens that Oregon’s courtrooms are open to the public.

But he is also committed to improving the system’s infrastructure. He’s already been successful at getting judges’ salaries increased. He also sees the woeful — and dangerous — condition of many of the courtrooms in Oregon, including Union County’s, and is looking for ways the state and counties can partner to upgrade courthouses. Too, he has the court system on a path toward eCourt, which will lead to electronic filings and records. The process is slow, but De Muniz has a strategy and isn’t willing to be complacent about long-neglected needs.

He is an active — not activist — chief justice who has the best interest of Oregon’s legal system at heart.

Paul De Muniz is good for Oregon. Oregon government could benefit from more people like him.