Grant County judge Jorgensen retires

EPHRATA — Grant County Superior Court Judge Ken Jorgensen retires from his position Friday.

Jorgensen served as a judge for 16 years. He’s practiced law in Grant County for about 37 years, primarily in the prosecutor’s office. The judge moved to the area when he was 4 years old and worked with his brothers on his farm.

“My folks came to the area because of the availability of land in this area,” he said. “When I grew up, we did it the hard way. There was a lot more manual labor in those days.”

He chose to study and practice law because of the mental discipline, he said.

“I think everybody goes into law because they like the mental discipline,” he said. “People are surprised that attorneys can argue both sides of a case and not have a problem with it … If it’s a genuine legal issue, then there are arguments on either side … Our system is an exceptionally good system … Our country has a right to be proud of their legal system.”

Jorgensen’s last act will be to swear in his successor John Knodell at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Knodell described the judge as unflappable. He’s known Jorgensen for about 20 years and tried cases both in front of him as a judge and opposing him as an attorney.

“I was trying to think of a story that would typify (Jorgensen,)” he said. “(An attorney) and I were arguing about who was more fit, and we decided to test it by doing one-legged squats. So (Jorgensen) came in and asked what we were doing and we explained it to him. He immediately did it and walked out.”

Jorgensen grew up in an agricultural community and spent time picking rocks out of his family’s fields, Knodell said.

“So if a young able-bodied person appears in front of him, who is not working, he’s liable to express his opinion,” he said.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz said Jorgensen rarely left the area for his vacations during the nine years they spent working next to each other.

“He seemed astounded that people actually go somewhere on their vacations,” he said.

Antosz described the judge as a real student of the law, and said Jorgensen read through the latest decisions to continue to expand his knowledge. Antosz said he often consulted with Jorgensen about cases.

“He’s been my rock,” he said. “He helped me reach decisions.”

Superior Court Judge Evan Sperline said he started to think about how there is strength in diversity. After having a rough start in their relationship, he said they found a common interest in talking about religion. He said they would have lunch and discuss the tenets of each others faiths.

“(Jorgensen) is a person of incredible faith,” Sperline said. “Frankly it’s refreshing to be able to share that with someone.”

Sperline said they still have tremendous differences in how they look at situations. He told a story were NASA spent millions of dollars trying to make a pen which would write in space, when the Soviet Union used a pencil.

“I’m NASA and (Jorgensen) is the Russians,” he said. “He always has a simple answer that cuts straight to the guts of a problem. I’m going to miss (Jorgensen and his wife.) I can only say it’s a sad day in its way.”

Jorgensen said his time as a judge has been a good experience, which taught him about human nature and given him the opportunity to see some parts of life he wouldn’t see otherwise.

“It’s been just a delight,” he said. “(Sperline) and I are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but we have pleasant discussions.”

He’s certain he will miss the judges, the lawyers and the clerks, he said. Grant County is unusual in how well everyone gets along.

“I’ve spent more time with some of the clerks, than I’ve spent with my brothers,” he said.

For now, he plans on enjoying not having as tight of a schedule. He also has 25 fruit trees to take care of in his yard.

“I’m certain I’m going to miss it after a while,” he said. “I’ve been watching people try cases in front of me for 16 years.”