Gov. Brown appoints Crutchley as Deschutes County judge

Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday that she has appointed Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney Raymond Crutchley to the county’s circuit court, filling the vacancy left by Judge Alta Brady’s recent retirement.

Crutchley, 49, is the first African-American to serve as an Oregon judge east of the Cascades, the governor’s office noted in its announcement.

“Ray Crutchley is a person of unbounded talent, energy, and passion, who embodies the very essence of the American dream,” Brown said. “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.”

Born and raised in Jamaica — in a home without indoor plumbing — Crutchley immigrated to New York at age 11 with his single mother, according to a brief biography provided by the governor’s office. He joined the military during college, and served in the United States Marine Corps from 1988 to 1992.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Marines, Crutchley returned to school and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Queens College in 1995. He then moved to Portland, earning his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in 1999.

After a judicial clerkship with Clackamas County Circuit Judge Raymond Bagley, Jr., Crutchley practiced in northeast Portland and Hillsboro for more than a decade, representing underserved clients in criminal defense and civil matters.

He has prosecuted criminal cases as a Deschutes County deputy DA in Deschutes County since 2015.