Erin C. Lagesen, chief judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals, appears on the Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot for Position 12. The nonpartisan race will appear on ballots across Oregon, including in Washington County and the Tigard area.
Lagesen has held the Position 12 seat since 2013, according to BallotReady, which lists her as certified for the ballot. She became chief judge in January 2022, according to the American Law Institute.
Candidate information
Office sought: Oregon Appeals Court Judge, Position 12
Party: Nonpartisan
Election: Nov. 3, 2026, Oregon General Election
Hometown: Portland, Oregon. Lagesen was born and raised there and graduated from Wilson High School, according to the Oregon State Bar Appellate Practice Section.
Education:
- Bachelor of arts in English and mathematics, Williams College
- Master of science in mathematics, University of Oregon
- Master of education, Harvard University
- Juris doctor, Willamette University College of Law
Experience and public service
Before entering the legal profession, Lagesen taught high school mathematics at Milwaukie High School, according to the Oregon State Bar. Her academic training spans four advanced degrees in mathematics, education and law, with studies at Williams College, the University of Oregon, Harvard University and Willamette University College of Law.
She then served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Susan P. Graber, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, according to BallotReady. After the clerkship, Lagesen worked as a lawyer at the Portland firm Stoel Rives LLP, also according to BallotReady.
Lagesen joined the Oregon Department of Justice as a lawyer in 2004, according to the Oregon State Bar.
She was appointed to the Oregon Court of Appeals in 2013. Her tenure on the court has included serving as presiding judge of Department Three from July 2017 through December 2021, according to the American Law Institute. She took over as chief judge in January 2022, a role she continues to hold.
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state's intermediate appellate court. It reviews decisions from circuit courts, state agencies and some boards and commissions.
On the issues
No questionnaire responses were available for this candidate as of publication. No issue positions from other primary sources were available for this profile.
Oregon conducts elections entirely by mail. Ballots for the Nov. 3 general election will be mailed to registered voters statewide.
The Tigard Today candidate questionnaire was sent to Erin C. Lagesen's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from her public campaign website and public records.
