Oregon Judge pro tempore Daniel Patrick Woram is a part-time attorney and part-time judge in Oregon. He has recently been allowed to handle cases as a temporary judge in Clackamas County. If you are looking to disqualify him and prevent him from hearing your case due to bias in favor of the police, for lack of professionalism, or because you feel he cannot be fair and impartial in your case, here’s what you need to know.
“How can I disqualify Pro Tem Judge Daniel Patrick Woram?”
ORS 14.250 allows disqualification of judge as follows:
No judge of a Circuit Court shall sit to hear or try any suit, action, matter or proceeding when it is established, as provided in ORS 14.250 to 14.270, that any party or attorney believes that such party or attorney cannot have a fair and impartial trial or hearing before such judge. In such case the presiding judge for the judicial district shall forthwith transfer the cause, matter or proceeding to another judge of the court, or apply to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to send a judge to try it; or, if the convenience of witnesses or the ends of justice will not be interfered with by such course, and the action or suit is of such a character that a change of venue thereof may be ordered, the presiding judge may send the case for trial to the most convenient court; except that the issues in such cause may, upon the written stipulation of the attorneys in the cause agreeing thereto, be made up in the district of the judge to whom the cause has been assigned.
Unfortunately, this statute doesn’t allow disqualification of justices of the peace– even if they are biased or unprofessional. In order to disqualify Judge Daniel Patrick Woram from a Clackamas County Justice Court case, you’ll likely need the assistance of an attorney. It may be possible to disqualify him for cause under ORS 14.210, or to seek a change of venue to Circuit Court.
“Can I file a complaint against Judge Daniel Patrick Woram for lack of professionalism?”
You can, if you feel his conduct has violated the Oregon rules of professionalism for judges. The Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability reviews complaints about Oregon state judges and justices of the peace and investigates when the alleged conduct might violate the state’s Code of Judicial Conduct or Article VII (amended), Section 8 of the Oregon state constitution.
To file a complaint against Oregon Judge Daniel Patrick Woram, you can print the official OCJFD complaint form.