Oregon’s Supreme Court heads for female majority

SALEM – Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has announced the appointment of a female judge to the Oregon Supreme Court, putting women in the majority in the state’s highest tribunal for the first time.

The new appointee, Rebecca Duncan, sits on the Oregon Court of Appeals and will fill a vacancy that opened because a sitting judge retires on June 30. Brown on Wednesday called the appointment historic and said Duncan will fill the position immediately after Justice David Brewer retires. Brown previously appointed two other women to the Supreme Court, and when Duncan joins it, four of its seven members will be women.

Officials said the previous high-water mark for female representation before Brown became governor on the court was two female justices.