Forks-based Clallam County District Court II Judge Erik Rohrer announced his candidacy for superior court judge on Thursday, March 22.

Rohrer is in his third term as District Court II judge and presides at the Clallam County courtroom located inside Forks City Hall.

Rohrer’s announcement comes a day after Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams announced he will not seek re-election in the upcoming fall general election set for Nov. 6. Williams is in his fifth term as an elected judge in Clallam County. His salary is $148,000 a year.

The Clallam County Elections’ Division filing week for the superior court position is May 14-18.

Rohrer said of his candidacy for the seat Williams is vacating: “With over 25 years as an attorney and a decade as an elected judge in this county, I am well-qualified to be a superior court judge. I have extensive experience in superior court—both as an attorney and as a superior court commissioner. I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Clallam County as a superior court judge.”

Rohrer, who was born and raised in Washington state, lives in the West End with his wife Cari, who is a teacher at Forks Middle School.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Western Washington University and graduated with a law degree from Willamette University College of Law.

Rohrer has served as a lawyer both in private practice and in the public sector, litigating both criminal and civil matters. 

He has practiced law in Seattle, Wenatchee and Port Angeles and has tried cases in courtrooms throughout the state.

In 1991 he was hired in 1991 as an assistant attorney general by former Attorney General Ken Eikenberry. Rohrer then moved to Port Angeles to help establish the first local Attorney General’s office, serving as lead attorney and manager of that office for ten years. He was then appointed to the Clallam County District Court II position previously held by current Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens. 

Rohrer is active in community affairs on the West End, including the Forks Chamber of Commerce and the Forks Hospital Foundation. 

In addition he is currently serving as past-president and board member of the Peninsula College Board of Trustees, chair-elect of the bipartisan Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid Oversight Committee and board member of the Peninsula Trails Coalition. He has previously been president of the boards of several other organizations.