PORT ANGELES – Governor Jay Inslee has appointed Brent Basden to be the next Clallam County Superior Court judge.

Basden will fill the seat being vacated at the end of the year, when Judge Chris Melly retires. Basden will serve the last two years of Melly’s term and then stand for re-election.

Basden has been the superior court commissioner for the past decade. Before being appointed court commissioner, he was a private attorney from 1994-2008.

The governor may have to make another judge appointment. It appears current Superior Court Judge Erik Rohrer is winning the seat to get his old job back as the District Court judge in Forks.

In returns release last night, Rohrer increased his lead to 25 votes over John Black. If the lead holds up, Rohrer will step down at the end of the year from the Superior Court bench.