The City Auditor's office announced a significant new appointment with Charles Koutras stepping into the role of Chief Hearings Officer for the City of Portland. Koutras, equipped with an impressive legal and public service background that spans over twenty years, is being welcomed for his deep expertise and legal acumen.
While overseeing the Hearings Office, which was recently returned to the Auditor's Office in July 2024, Koutras will tackle appeals made by Portlanders on issues including vehicle tows and land use permits. In its move as part of the Auditor’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 Requested Budget, the Hearings Office exercises the City Council's quasi-judicial authority, an essential ingredient in maintaining an open and accountable government.
Koutras's extensive career is marked by roles of increasing responsibility, including his recent position as a Supervisory Immigration Judge at the U.S. Department of Justice. According to a statement obtained by the City Auditor's office, he was instrumental in reducing case backlogs and introducing improved technologies and resources such as virtual hearings and increased access to interpreters for non-English speakers.
Before joining the Portland team, Koutras served both in the U.S. Navy and the Army, having been deployed as the General Counsel for the U.S. Navy Reserve Forces Command, where he provided legal services to a substantial 57,000-member organization. Additionally, not only is Koutras licensed to practice law, but his education boasts a J.D. and M.A. in International Relations, alongside advanced leadership training at Harvard Law School and the Brookings Institution.
Auditor Simone Rede expressed her confidence in Koutras' abilities, stating, "Koutras brings a wealth of expertise and a steadfast commitment to fairness, accessibility, and equity in administrative justice to the City." His arrival marks a commitment to continuing the efforts of creating an accessible and fair legal framework for all Portland residents.
