Oregon Opens Judicial Ombudsman Office to Public
The new office gives court users a confidential, neutral channel to share concerns about their experiences with Oregon's courts.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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The Oregon Judicial Department opened its Office of the Ombudsman to the public on Nov. 2, with Debra Vogt named as the first Ombudsman. The office was authorized by House Bill 2712 (2025).
Why it matters
The office gives court users a designated way to give judges feedback, with a focus on understanding what happened and supporting improvement rather than discipline. It is expected to help improve public trust in state courts.
The office was authorized by House Bill 2712 (2025) and opened Nov. 2, 2026, with Vogt's almost 20 years on the Lane County Circuit Court bench as background. The source does not report how many submissions the office expects or how outcomes will be measured.
The players
Debra Vogt
Vogt is a former Lane County Circuit Court judge who served almost 20 years on the bench before becoming Oregon's first Ombudsman.
Oregon Judicial Department
The Oregon Judicial Department is the administrative branch that oversees the state's courts and created the Office of the Ombudsman.
The details
Court users can submit concerns through a form on the office's website, courts.oregon.gov/ombudsman. Submissions are kept confidential, but the Ombudsman cannot give legal advice, intervene in cases, or overturn judges' decisions.
Timeline
June 2026: Oregon Judicial Department announces Debra Vogt as first Ombudsman.
Nov. 2, 2026: The Office of the Ombudsman officially opens to the public.
Legal Context
The Office of the Ombudsman was authorized by House Bill 2712 (2025), which the Oregon Judicial Department has now put into operation. Unlike the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability, which handles discipline when judges violate the Code of Judicial Conduct, the Ombudsman focuses on feedback and improvement.
Court users who have concerns about their experiences can now submit them through the Ombudsman's online form at courts.oregon.gov/ombudsman. The office cannot provide legal advice or change case outcomes, so those with active legal matters should still follow their court's normal procedures.
The takeaway
Court users now have a confidential, neutral route to share feedback about their court experiences without triggering discipline. Anyone with a concern can use the online form, though the office cannot change individual case outcomes.
Further reading
For broader context on how courts handle public complaints, explore Criminal Justice coverage.
More information
Submit a concern through the Oregon Ombudsman concern submission form on the Oregon Judicial Department website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Corvallis Advocate.
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