Black History Month: The Honorable Judge Raymond Dean Crutchley

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Born and raised in Jamaica by his grandmother, Deschutes County Circuit Judge Raymond Dean Crutchley immigrated to New York at the age of 11, where he lived with his mother.

Judge Crutchley says his time in Jamaica taught him why family was so important.

“We were poor, but I can't ever remember going to bed hungry," he said. "I can't ever remember being turned away from a door that I went to. And if I needed to sleep somewhere or, you know, it became dark and too dark to get home, I was put up.”

After honorably serving in the US Marine Corps from 1988 to '92, Crutchley pursued higher education, earning his bachelor’s degree from Queens College in 1995. Originally, Crutchely set his sights on becoming a doctor… but…

“I remember, being in science class or actually.  Biology and had to dissect a frog, and it didn't go so well for the frog. So that was the deciding factor,” said Crutchley.

Crutchley would pursue a law degree by attending Lewis & Clark College in Portland, where he received his Juris Doctor, but through the years, others would challenge Crutchley’s abilities.

Crutchley reminisced: “Black people, minorities are placed in positions or achieve certain levels of success. They were told that there may be somebody else or there is someone else that may be more qualified than you, that could have been appointed or placed in this position, who was more qualified than you? That kind of stuff is, I think wearing and is difficult to hear and questions your own abilities.  And that's, I think what, at times I needed to get over.”

Crutchley would go on to pass the bar exam.

He and a friend would go into private practice, making history:

“We decided to open up a law firm in northeast Portland. And so that's what we did. And we became the first black-owned law firm in northeast Portland,” said Crutchley.

After serving the Portland area for a number of years, Crutchley began looking for new opportunities.

Crutchley talks about how he came to Central Oregon: “It so happens that I ran across a position for the District Attorney's Office here in Deschutes, but I was also very apprehensive about the diversity and the lack of it here in Central Oregon.”

Colleagues including Steve Gunnels, who now serves as District Attorney, encouraged Crutchley to apply for the position, which he did. Later, Crutchley was encouraged to pursue a judgeship, though there were hesitations.

Crutchley said: “At first I was not open to the idea. I couldn't even see myself as being a judge.”

In a historic milestone for Oregon’s judiciary, Judge Raymond Dean Crutchley now serves as the first African-American judge east of the Cascades, presiding over the Deschutes County Circuit Court.

Appointed by Governor Kate Brown in 2018, Judge Crutchley’s journey to the bench is a testament to resilience and dedication.

“I want to ensure that people, when they come to my court, have access to justice, that they're treated with respect and dignity, that they feel felt treated fairly and equitably,” said Crutchley.

Judge Crutchley talks about his incredible journey.

“I look back at my life and my career, I would never have mapped this out. No one would have thought this little kid from Jamaica, West Indies who grew up not knowing his father, raised by grandparents and cousins and, running barefoot through the gullies.”

“All of that would lead me to being a judge in Deschutes County, Oregon. And I'm extremely grateful. It's humbling because I know it’s not all because of me. I know that there's been a lot of work done to get me to this point. And I stand on the shoulders of heroes who have given their lives to make sure that I wasn't enslaved, that I would have the right to vote, that I could use the same facility as another individual who was not my color, that I could own property.

"And on the shoulders of a mother who gave everything to make sure that I could come to this country and also take advantage of the opportunities here.”

Beyond his judicial duties, Judge Crutchley actively engages with the community. Notably, he officiated Valentine’s Day weddings at the Deschutes County Courthouse, bringing joy to local couples.  

Judge Crutchley’s trailblazing role and commitment to justice continue to inspire and pave the way for greater diversity within Oregon’s legal system.