As the rest of us readied ourselves for holiday plans and travel, newly elected officials prepared to take office in their new positions.

And with little fanfare, Deputy Prosecutor Tom Brown in Ferry County was sworn in today to replace Republic lawyer Lynda Eaton as Ferry County District Court Judge. Lynda Eaton was elected in 1994 in a contested election against then judge Norman Sauer. Norman Sauer was the first judge I practiced law in front of when I was 24-year-old Rule 9 intern in 1994. In that year, Lynda Eaton was an assistant public defender working for Rebecca Baker. In more recent years, Lynda Eaton ran a title company called Ferry County Professional Services.

Tom Brown, as the winner in this fall’s election, replaced Lynda Eaton and was sworn in also as Superior Court commissioner today. Tom Brown is a 2004 University of Oregon Law School graduate.

He also served in the Marine Corp and also attended the University of Portland. As a prosecutor he typically handled the felony caseload. In District Court, he will preside over misdemeanor offenses, name changes, small claims, and first-appearances on felony arrests. His court commissioner work could include assisting the Superior Court judges on divorces, probates, and restrain order petitions.