Washington County Circuit Court Judge Ricardo J. Menchaca, who has served on the bench since 2013, is seeking retention in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The nonpartisan race for District 20, Position 8 covers Washington County, which includes Tigard, Tualatin and Durham.

Menchaca is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady.

Candidate information

Office sought: Circuit Court Judge, District 20, Position 8

Election: Oregon General Election, Nov. 3, 2026

Party: Nonpartisan

Education: Menchaca said in his Oregon State Bar Judicial Voters Guide response that he earned an associate degree in applied health sciences from the Community College of the Air Force in 1993 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Oregon State University in 1995, cum laude. He received his juris doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1999.

Bar admissions: Menchaca said he has been admitted to the Oregon State Bar since 2000, the U.S. Federal Court for the District of Oregon since 2000, and the Washington State Bar from 2008 to 2013, now inactive.

Professional memberships: Menchaca said he is a member of the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association, Oregon Women's Lawyers Association and Washington County Bar Association.

Experience and public service

Governor John Kitzhaber appointed Menchaca to the Washington County Circuit Court on July 31, 2013, effective Sept. 1, 2013, replacing retiring Judge Gayle Nachtigal, according to OregonLive.

Before joining the bench, Menchaca said he worked as an associate attorney at Bertoni and Todd from 2000 to 2001. He said he then served as a trial attorney at Metropolitan Public Defender from 2001 to 2007.

Menchaca said he worked as an assistant attorney general at the Oregon Department of Justice from 2007 to 2008. He said he then served as a trial attorney at Smith Freed and Eberhard from 2008 to 2009.

Menchaca said he worked as a trial attorney and in-house counsel at Zurich American Insurance Company from 2009 to 2011. He said he was a solo practitioner in private practice and an adjunct criminal law professor at Portland Community College from 2011 to 2013, before his appointment to the bench.

On the bench, Menchaca said he served as presiding juvenile court judge from 2013 to 2017. He said he was appointed chief criminal judge of the Washington County Circuit Court and presides over the Domestic Violence Deferred Sentencing Program. He also said he served as secretary of the Oregon Judges Charitable Foundation and co-authored the Juvenile Law Handbook in 2001.

On the issues

No issue responses were available for this profile.

The Tigard Today candidate questionnaire was sent to Ricardo J. Menchaca's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.