Justice Thomas Balmer will retire Dec. 31 after 21 years on the Oregon Supreme Court.

He is the longest serving member of the current court.

Gov. Kate Brown, who has named five of the seven justices, will appoint a successor. She will start with candidates who applied a year ago for vacancies on the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, although the list is open to others who want to apply. Oregon does not require Senate confirmation of judges. Brown elevated a Court of Appeals judge to the Supreme Court, then named three to the Court of Appeals, where two judges retired.

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