Nonpartisan
Occupation:
Attorney
Occupational Background:
Attorney for 35+ years in Lincoln County
Educational Background:
NHS (diploma);
OSU (B.S./Biology);
University of Oregon (J.D.)
Prior Governmental Experience:
I was a prosecutor for the City of Newport, Municipal Court.
Aside from attending Oregon State University and the University of Oregon law school, I have been a life-long resident of Lincoln County. I graduated from Newport High School. My legal career has been my life's passion: justice, advocacy, accountability, and working for the people of Lincoln County to bring those terms to life. I have practiced criminal law for my entrie 35+ career, it has been the centerpiece of my legal practice. I have also practiced civil litigation, including: dissolution, adoptions, wills, estates, and personal injury.
It has been, and continues to be, my privilege to provide legal services and guidance to members of our community, and to do so, with the utmost commitment to professional and ethical standards. As your district attorney, I will ensure that EVERY person is provided the support, integrity and dedication in their interaction(s) with the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office. I have enormous respect for the mental health clinicians, addiction and recovery specialists and OUR law enforcement partners who commit their time and talent to walking beside us as we journey down roads that are not well lit and whose guidance is of immeasurable comfort and reassurance to us all. All of us, everybody, is a spoke in the wheel of justice.
I remember being about 7 years old and saying to my brother, Steve, "Watch out, because some day I am going to be Perry Mason." Yes, the law has been a party of me since the beginning of my being. It would be my honor to serve YOU, the citizens of Lincoln County, as your district attorney.
A vote for me IS a vote for integrity, accountability and transparency in our office of District Attorney for Lincoln County.
This information furnished by Kathryn "KB" Benfield.
Newport native Kathryn Benfield should be the voters overwhelming choice for Lincoln County District Attorney in the May election. With more than 35 years experience in practice, Benfield has handled both civil and criminal matters and regularly appears before juries. She has compassion and common sense. She has discernment and discretion. She understands how to make a payroll and handle differing personalities in a complex office. She understands the role of a prosecutor and the need to charge only what the facts establish, not waste resources, and goodwill by charging every conceivable misdeed as a crime.
Benfield has fought for injured citizens and helped those who need second chances. She knows our community and the value of cooperation instead of conflict. She will bring a breath of fresh air to an office marked by turnover, dissension, and dysfunction over the past three years. Benfield’s opponent, a newcomer to the community, has never run a business and has never handled a civil case or represented a citizen charged with an offense. She was brought in as a second chief deputy, a position that didn’t exist, and that her boss, the outgoing DA, sued the county commissioners unsuccessfully to create. Only when yet another deputy left did this newcomer assume the position she now holds. Kathryn Benfield carries none of the baggage and bad karma from the office in the past few years. She is widely known, respected and supported by people throughout the county in all walks of life.
Please join me in electing Kathryn Benfield as our next Lincoln County District Attorney.
Susan Elizabeth Reese Painter
I had the distinct pleasure of working for Kathryn Benfield at her law office in Newport, and it was one of the most impactful experiences of my professional career. I first met KB in the courtroom, while working for the Honorable Paulette Sanders. There I witnessed firsthand Kathryn’s masterful professionalism, while passionately advocating for her clients – both adult and juvenile – during hearings and trials.
Kathryn is a lifetime local, and her parents were well respected members of the Lincoln County community. Kathryn herself has earned the respect of the Lincoln County Circuit Court, law enforcement members, and the DAs office – a seemingly impossible trifecta for a criminal defense attorney. Her legal career has been nothing short of exemplary, and many among the community have placed their trust in her abilities over the decades.
If you’re wondering how a career defense attorney can "switch" to the other side of the law and become your district attorney, it’s a fair question and the answer is simple, she knows the law inside and out. Wouldn’t you want your team’s head coach to know both offense and defense? Remember, attorneys seek justice, and their reputation and integrity is everything, no matter which side they are serving.
Kathryn has integrity. This I know, and that is exactly what the District Attorneys office deserves right now. KB is not simply the best candidate, she is truly the only hope for the DA's office going forward, but don’t just take it for me. Ask anyone.
Give Kathryn Benfield your vote and she will earn your respect and bring real integrity back to your DAs office.
Tony Rivers
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