Clallam County District II Court report

John H. Doherty of Beaver has been appointed by the Clallam County Board of Commissioners to succeed now Superior Judge Erik S. Rohrer as Clallam County District II Judge. Doherty will serve Rohrer’s unexpired term through December 14, 2013. 

The public and friends are invited to attend his swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Thursday, January 17 at 4:30 p.m., in the Clallam County District II Courtroom, 502 East Division St. in Forks. Superior Court Judge Erik S. Rohrer will officiate. Rohrer was recently sworn in to his new post.

Judge Doherty was a principal in the Clallam County law firm of Doherty Ritchie from 1976 to 1995 when he was elected judge of the Clallam County District I Court in Port Angeles where he served 2 terms. He was subsequently appointed Chief Judge of the Quileute Tribe in 2004 where he continues to serve. 

Doherty was born and raised in Clallam County, graduating from Port Angeles High School in 1966. He served on active duty in the Navy in Viet Nam from 1967 to 1969. He received an A.A. degree from Peninsula College in 1970, a B.A. from Western Washington University in Bellingham in 1971, and a Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1975, where he was a member of the Law Review. 

He lives in Beaver with his wife Becky who is an optician with the optometric office of Hainstock Braun.