Yamhill County District Attorney Brad Berry and McMinnville private practice attorneys Janmarie Dielschneider, Cynthia Easterday and Cynthia Kaufman-Noble will interview Friday in Salem for appointment to the circuit court judgeship vacated with the December death of Carol Jones.

There are also three vacancies in Multnomah County and one in Southern Oregon's Douglas County to be filled by Gov. Ted Kulongoski, a former Oregon Supreme Court justice. He wants to have new jurists in place by the July 1 start of the new fiscal year, according to General Counsel Kelly Skye.

A screening panel has been assembled to interview the Yamhill County candidates. In addition to Skye, panel members are:

Amber Hollister, the governor's deputy general counsel; Janice Morgan, director of the Legal Aid office in Woodburn; Peggy Ross, the governor's affirmative action director; Danny Santos, senior policy advisor in the governor's office, and Yamhill County Commissioner Mary Stern, who practiced law before winning election to office.

"I will brief the governor on what we have learned about the candidates from the interviews and other sources," Skye said. "He will make a decision.

"He might want to conduct interviews himself. He might feel comfortable just making an appointment."

The new appointee will join John Collins, Ronald Stone and Cal Tichenor on the bench, which Collins heads.

An Oregon State University graduate, Berry earned his law degree in 1979 from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash.

He went to work for Yamhill County in the fall of 1981 as a deputy district attorney under Collins, then serving as district attorney. After three years in that capacity, he spent 12 years in private practice in Newberg.

Berry was elected district attorney in 1996, defeating McMinnville attorneys Al Hansen and Mark Lawrence. He was re-elected without opposition to four-year terms in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

"I can't tell you, that early in my career, I wanted to be a judge," he said. "In the last 10 years, I have had several opportunities to consider whether I wanted to run or apply for an open position. I never thought the time was right."

Following Jones' death, Berry said he was approached by individuals who inquired whether he would be interested in filling the vacancy. They were encouraging, and he decided to seek the position.

"I genuinely recognize that a judge works for our community, and to that extent, has an obligation toward what I would call customer service. I think you must have a willingness to work hard, listen to both sides, apply facts to the law and promptly render decisions."

Berry said he's never shied away from hard work, and his experience in both private practice and the district attorney's office makes him a worthy candidate for the bench.

"I love the job I have now," he said. "I love serving the community the way we do.

"I work with some tremendous people. We're all a team. If the governor decides there's a better candidate, I'll come back to a job I enjoy doing."

Dielschneider has worked in private practice in McMinnville since November 2005. She specializes in court-appointed criminal defense, juvenile dependency, delinquency and termination of parental rights.

She worked in the Newberg office of Gray & Mercer from March-October 2005 before setting up her own practice.

Dielschneider served as a deputy district attorney from June 1991-April 1993 in Yamhill County and July 1993-April 1996 in Central Oregon's Deschutes County.

She wrote a one-page letter that was included in her application packet for the judgeship. She emphasized she has a strong commitment to justice and her community.

Dielschneider said her extensive experience in juvenile law afforded her the opportunity to work with Jones the past four years. She said Jones' untimely death leaves big shoes to fill, but she considers herself ready to accept the challenge if she is appointed.

"I had great respect for Judge Jones, and she once told me that it takes true courage to be a good judge, courage to apply the law to the facts and render a firm but fair decision that is free from personalities and political influences," Dielschneider said.

Skills she would bring to the bench include integrity, legal knowledge and training, professional experience and the right judicial temperament - common sense, compassion, decisiveness, humility, open-mindedness, patience and understanding.

"My goal as a judge in my community would be to help insure that everyone has equal access to justice, remembering that I am as human as those that would appear before me," Dielschneider said. "I would work as a true team member with our other outstanding judges."

Dielschneider is a Portland State University graduate who received her law degree in 1988 from Lewis and Clark College in Portland.

Easterday has worked in the McMinnville law office of Haugeberg, Rueter, Gowell, Fredricks, Higgins & McKeegan since November 2007. She specializes in civil litigation, contested probate proceedings, domestic relations and criminal defense.

She is a University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, Wash.) graduate who earned her law degree in 1989 from the University of Oregon.

Easterday worked in the Yamhill County District Attorney's Office from 1990 to 2006. She served as chief deputy district attorney from November 1994-July 2006 and interim district attorney from October-December 1996.

After leaving the district attorney's office, Easterday went to work from July 2006-November 2007 for the Oregon State Bar, in the Client Assistance Office. She investigated and reviewed ethical complaints against lawyers.

"I have a strong interest and feel so pulled to go for this position," Easterday said, regarding the judgeship. "I have some good, strong skills that would help make a good judge."

She said she thinks she has the temperament, personality, character traits, patience and open mindedness to do a quality job.

"Most of all, in every job I've ever had, I've had a strong passion for justice," Easterday said. "When people came to the courthouse, I always felt it was important their dispute was resolved and the process was fair, even though someone may not end up with the result they want."

While Jones was the first female judge to serve on the bench in Yamhill County, and despite the fact there are three females who will interview Friday, Easterday said Kulongoski must appoint the individual who is most qualified, regardless of gender.

"If there is an opportunity to add diversity to the bench, and a woman would bring experience, that would be a positive thing," Easterday said. "Diversity only adds strength to a group of people."

Kaufman-Noble is a Syracuse University graduate who earned her law degree at Willamette University in Salem.

She has served as a municipal court prosecutor for the city since 2000. She served as a partner in the McMinnville law firm of Fredrick & Finch from 2003-2007, then went into private practice in McMinnville. She offers an array of services.

"Part of the reason I feel so strongly about this position is that I want to carry on the work Carol started," Kaufman-Noble said. "She started a legacy in Yamhill County. I wish Carol could be my mentor. I keep a picture of Carol close to me. I just wish I could talk to her. She once told me that compassion was my greatest strength."

That was at a time when Kaufman-Noble said she was questioning herself. Today, she challenges herself to use that compassion wisely and carry on a passion for justice.

"Our own judges have been under a heavy burden," Kaufman-Noble said. "We have three wonderful judges who have carried the ball.

"They need some help. I have told Judge Collins that if I'm appointed he can use me however he sees fit."