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Supreme Court Justices of Oregon
Under Provisional Government
Name |
Term |
Authority/Remarks |
Babcock, Dr. Ira L.
|
Feb. 18, 1841-May 1, 1843 |
Supreme judge with probate powers elected at meeting of inhabitants of the Willamette Valley |
Wilson, W.E.
|
No record of service |
Supreme judge with probate powers; elected at meeting of inhabitants of the Willamette Settlements, May 2, 1843 |
Russell, Osborn
|
Oct. 2, 1843-May 14, 1844 |
Supreme judge and probate judge; appointed by the Executive Committee |
Babcock, Dr. Ira L.
|
June 27, 1844-Nov. 11, 1844 |
Presiding judge, Circuit Court; elected at first general election May 1844; resigned |
Nesmith, James W.
|
Dec. 25, 1844-Aug. 9, 1845 |
Presiding judge, Circuit Court; appointed by Executive Committee; elected by people 1845 |
Ford, Nathaniel
|
Declined service |
Supreme judge; elected by Legislature Aug. 9, 1845; declined to serve |
Burnett, Peter H.
|
Sept. 6, 1845-Dec. 29, 1846 |
Supreme judge; elected by Legislature; declined appointment to Supreme Court 1848 |
Thornton, J. Quinn
|
Feb. 20, 1847-Nov. 9, 1847 |
Supreme judge; appointed by Governor Abernethy; resigned |
Lancaster, Columbia
|
Nov. 30, 1847-Apr. 9, 1849 |
Supreme judge; appointed by Governor Abernethy |
Lovejoy, A.L.
|
No record of service |
Supreme judge; elected by Legislature Feb. 16, 1849 |
Under Territorial2 and State
Government3
Bryant, William P.
|
1848-1850 |
Appointed 1848; resigned 1850; chief justice 1848-1850 |
Pratt, Orville C.
|
1848-1852 |
Appointed 1848; term ended 1852 |
Nelson, Thomas
|
1850-1853 |
Appointed 1850 to succeed Bryant; term ended 1853; chief justice 1850-1853 |
Strong, William
|
1850-1853 |
Appointed 1850 to succeed Burnett; term ended 1853 |
Williams, George H.
|
1853-1858 |
Appointed 1853, 1857; resigned 1858; chief justice 1853-1858 |
Olney, Cyrus
|
1853-1858 |
Appointed 1853, 1857; resigned 1858 |
Deady, Matthew P.
|
1853-1859 |
Appointed 1853, 1857; elected 1858; resigned 1859 |
McFadden, Obadiah B.
|
1853-1854 |
Appointed 1853; term ended 1854 |
Boise, Reuben P.
|
1858-1870 |
Appointed 1858 to succeed Olney; elected 1859; |
1876-1880 |
reelected 1864; term ended 1870; elected 1876; term ended 1878; appointed 1878; term ended 1880; chief justice 1862-1864, 1867-1870 |
|
Wait, Aaron E.
|
1859-1862 |
Elected 1858; resigned May 1, 1862; chief justice 1859-1862 |
Stratton, Riley E.
|
1859-1866 |
Elected 1858, 1864; died Dec. 26, 1866 |
Prim, Paine Page
|
1859-1880 |
Appointed 1859 to succeed Deady; elected 1860; reelected 1866, 1872; term ended 1878; appointed 1878; term ended 1880; chief justice 1864-1866, 1870-1872, 1876-1878 |
Page, William W.
|
1862 |
Appointed May 1862 to succeed Wait; term ended Sept. 1862 |
Shattuck, Erasmus D.
|
1862-1867 |
Elected 1862; resigned Dec. 1867; |
1874-1878 |
elected 1874; term ended 1878; chief justice 1866-1867 |
|
Wilson, Joseph G.
|
1862-1870 |
New appointment Oct. 17, 1862; elected 1864; resigned May 1870 |
Skinner, Alonzo A.
|
1866-1867 |
Appointed 1866 to succeed Stratton; term ended 1867 |
Upton, William W.
|
1867-1874 |
Appointed Dec. 1867 to succeed Shattuck; elected 1868; term ended 1874; chief justice 1872-1874 |
Kelsay, John
|
1868-1870 |
Elected 1868 to succeed Stratton; term ended 1870 |
Whitten, Benoni
|
1870 |
Appointed May 1870 to succeed Wilson; term ended Sept. 1870 |
McArthur, Lewis L.
|
1870-1878 |
Elected 1870; reelected 1876; term ended 1878 |
Thayer, Andrew J.
|
1870-1873 |
Elected 1870; died Apr. 26, 1873 |
Bonham, Benjamin F.
|
1870-1876 |
Elected 1870; term ended 1876; chief justice 1874-1876 |
Moser, Lafayette F.
|
1873-1874 |
Appointed May 1873 to succeed A.J. Thayer; term ended 1874 |
Burnett, John
|
1874-1876 |
Elected 1874; term ended 1876 |
Watson, James F.
|
1876-1878 |
Elected 1876; term ended 1878 |
Kelly, James K.
|
1878-1880 |
Appointed 1878; term ended 1880; chief justice 1878-1880 |
Lord, William P.
|
1880-1894 |
Elected 1880; reelected 1882, 1888; term ended 1894; chief justice 1880-1882, 1886-1888, 1892-1894 |
Watson, Edward B.
|
1880-1884 |
Elected 1880; term ended 1884; chief justice 1882-1884 |
Waldo, John B.
|
1880-1886 |
Elected 1880; term ended 1886; chief justice 1884-1886 |
Thayer, William W.
|
1884-1890 |
Elected 1884; term ended 1890; chief justice 1888-1890 |
Strahan, Reuben S.
|
1886-1892 |
Elected 1886; term ended 1892; chief justice 1890-1892 |
Bean, Robert S.
|
1890-1909 |
Elected 1890; reelected 1896, 1902, 1908; resigned May 1, 1909; chief justice 1894-1896, 1900-1902, 1905-1909 |
Moore, Frank A.
|
1892-1918 |
Elected 1892; reelected 1898, 1904, 1910, 1916; died Sept. 25, 1918; chief justice 1896-1898, 1902-1905, 1909-1911, 1915-1917 |
Wolverton, Charles E.
|
1894-1905 |
Elected 1894, 1900; resigned Dec. 4, 1905; chief justice 1898-1900, 1905 |
Hailey, Thomas G.
|
1905-1907 |
Appointed Dec. 5, 1905 to succeed Wolverton; term ended Jan. 15, 1907 |
Eakin, Robert
|
1907-1917 |
Elected 1906, 1912; resigned Jan. 8, 1917; chief justice 1911-1913 |
King, William R.
|
1909-1911 |
Appointed Feb. 12, 1909; term ended Jan. 1, 1911 |
Slater, Woodson T.
|
1909-1911 |
Appointed Feb. 12, 1909; term ended Jan. 1, 1911 |
McBride, Thomas A.
|
1909-1930 |
Appointed May 1, 1909 to succeed Robert S. Bean; elected 1914; reelected 1920, 1926; died Sept. 9, 1930; chief justice 1913-1915, 1917-1921, 1923-1927 |
Bean, Henry J.
|
1911-1941 |
Elected 1910; reelected 1914, 1920, 1926, 1932, 1938; died May 8, 1941; chief justice 1931-1933, 1937-1939 |
Burnett, George H.
|
1911-1927 |
Elected 1910; reelected 1916, 1922; died Sept. 10, 1927; chief justice 1921-1923, 1927 |
McNary, Charles L.
|
1913-1915 |
Appointed June 3, 1913; term ended Jan. 4, 1915 |
Ramsey, William M.
|
1913-1915 |
Appointed June 3, 1913; term ended Jan. 4, 1915 |
Benson, Henry L.
|
1915-1921 |
Elected 1914; reelected 1920; died Oct. 16, 1921 |
Harris, Lawrence T.
|
1915-1924 |
Elected 1914; reelected 1920; resigned Jan. 15, 1924 |
McCamant, Wallace
|
1917-1918 |
Appointed Jan. 8, 1917 to succeed Eakin; resigned June 4, 1918 |
Johns, Charles A.
|
1918-1921 |
Appointed June 4, 1918 to succeed McCamant; elected 1918; resigned Oct. 7, 1921 |
Olson, Conrad P.
|
1918-1919 |
Appointed Sept. 27, 1918 to succeed Moore; term ended Jan. 7, 1919 |
Bennett, Alfred S.
|
1919-1920 |
Elected 1918; resigned Oct. 5, 1920 |
Brown, George M.
|
1920-1933 |
Appointed Oct. 14, 1920 to succeed Bennett; elected 1920; reelected 1926; term ended 1933 |
McCourt, John
|
1921-1924 |
Appointed Oct. 8, 1921 to succeed Johns; elected 1922; died Sept. 12, 1924 |
Rand, John L.
|
1921-1942 |
Appointed Oct. 18, 1921 to succeed Benson; elected 1922; reelected 1928, 1934, 1940; died Nov. 19, 1942; chief justice 1927-1929, 1933-1935, 1939-1941 |
Coshow, Oliver P.
|
1924-1931 |
Appointed Jan. 15, 1924 to succeed Harris; elected 1924; term ended 1931; chief justice 1929-1931 |
Pipes, Martin L.
|
1924 |
Appointed Sept. 1924 to succeed McCourt; term ended Dec. 31, 1924 |
Belt, Harry H.
|
1925-1950 |
Elected 1924; reelected 1930, 1936, 1942, 1948; died Aug. 6, 1950; chief justice 1945-1947 |
Rossman, George
|
1927-1965 |
Appointed Sept. 13, 1927 to succeed George H. Burnett; elected 1928; reelected 1934, 1940, 1946, 1952, 1958; term ended 1965; chief justice 1947-1949 |
Kelly, Percy R.
|
1930-1949 |
Appointed Sept. 24, 1930 to succeed McBride; elected 1930; reelected 1936, 1942, 1948; died June 14, 1949; chief justice 1941-1943 |
Campbell, James U.
|
1931-1937 |
Elected 1930; reelected 1936; died July 16, 1937; chief justice 1935-1937 |
Bailey, John O.
|
1933-1950 |
Elected 1932; reelected 1938, 1944; resigned Nov. 15, 1950; chief justice 1943-1945 |
Lusk, Hall S.
|
1937-1960 |
Appointed July 22, 1937 to succeed Campbell; elected 1938; reelected 1944, 1950, 1956; resigned Mar. 15, 1960; |
Under Provisional Government |
1961-1968 |
Recalled to temporary active service 1961 through 1968; chief justice 1949-1951 |
Brand, James T.
|
1941-1958 |
Appointed May 14, 1941 to succeed Henry J. Bean; elected 1942; reelected 1948, 1954; resigned June 30, 1958; chief justice 1951-1953 |
Hay, Arthur D.
|
1942-1952 |
Appointed Nov. 28, 1942 to succeed Rand; elected 1944; reelected 1950; died Dec. 19, 1952 |
Page, E.M.
|
1949-1950 |
Appointed July 8, 1949 to succeed Percy R. Kelly; resigned Jan. 18, 1950 |
Latourette, Earl C.
|
1950-1956 |
Appointed Jan. 19, 1950 to succeed E.M. Page; elected 1950; died Aug. 18, 1956; chief justice 1953-1955 |
Warner, Harold J.
|
1950-1963 |
Appointed Sept. 5, 1950 to succeed Belt; elected 1950; reelected 1956; term ended 1963; chief justice 1955-1957 |
Tooze, Walter L.
|
1950-1956 |
Appointed Nov. 16, 1950 to succeed Bailey; elected 1950; reelected 1956; died Dec. 21, 1956 |
Perry, William C.
|
1952-1970 |
Appointed Dec. 26, 1952 to succeed Hay; elected 1954; reelected 1960, 1966; resigned June 1, 1970; chief justice 1957-1959, 1967-1970 |
McAllister, William M.
|
1956-1976 |
Appointed Aug. 24, 1956 to succeed Latourette; elected 1956; reelected 1962, 1968, 1974; resigned Dec. 31, 1976; chief justice 1959-1967 |
Kester, Randall B.
|
1957-1958 |
Appointed Jan. 3, 1957 to succeed Tooze; resigned Mar. 1, 1958 |
Sloan, Gordon
|
1958-1970 |
Appointed Mar. 1, 1958 to succeed Kester; elected 1958; reelected 1964; resigned Oct. 1, 1970 |
O'Connell, Kenneth J.
|
1958-1977 |
Appointed July 1, 1958 to succeed Brand; elected 1958; reelected 1964, 1970; term ended 1977; chief justice 1970-1976 |
Goodwin, Alfred T.
|
1960-1969 |
Appointed Mar. 18, 1960 to succeed Lusk; elected 1960; reelected 1966; resigned Dec. 19, 1969 |
Denecke, Arno H.
|
1963-1982 |
Elected 1962; reelected 1968, 1974, 1980; resigned June 30, 1982; chief justice 1976-1982 |
Holman, Ralph M.
|
1965-1980 |
Elected 1964; reelected 1970, 1976; resigned Jan. 20, 1980 |
Tongue, Thomas H.
|
1969-1982 |
Appointed Dec. 29, 1969 to succeed Goodwin; elected 1970; reelected 1976; resigned Feb. 7, 1982 |
Howell, Edward H.
|
1970-1980 |
Appointed June 1, 1970 to succeed Perry; elected 1970; reelected 1976; resigned Nov. 30, 1980 |
Bryson, Dean F.
|
1970-1979 |
Elected 1970; appointed Oct. 23, 1970 (before elective term began) to succeed Sloan; reelected 1976; resigned April 1, 1979 |
Lent, Berkeley
|
1977-1988 |
Elected 1976; reelected 1982; resigned Sept. 30, 1988; chief justice 1982-1983 |
Linde, Hans
|
1977-1990 |
Appointed Jan. 3, 1977 to succeed McAllister; elected 1978; reelected 1984; resigned Jan. 31, 1990 |
Peterson, Edwin J.
|
1979-1993 |
Appointed May 15, 1979 to succeed Bryson; elected 1980; reelected 1986, 1992; resigned Dec. 31, 1993; chief justice 1983 to 1991 |
Tanzer, Jacob
|
1980-1982 |
Appointed Jan. 21, 1980 to succeed Holman; elected 1980; resigned Dec. 31, 1982 |
Campbell, J.R.
|
1980-1988 |
Appointed Dec. 1, 1980 to succeed Howell; elected 1982; resigned Dec. 31, 1988 |
Roberts, Betty
|
1982-1986 |
Appointed Feb. 8, 1982 to succeed Tongue; elected 1982; resigned Feb. 7, 1986 |
Carson, Wallace P., Jr.
|
1982-2006 |
Appointed July 14, 1982 to succeed Denecke; elected 1982; reelected 1988, 1994, 2000; chief justice 1991-2005; resigned Dec. 31, 2006 |
Jones, Robert E.
|
1983-1990 |
Appointed Dec. 16, 1982 to succeed Tanzer; elected 1984; resigned Apr. 30, 1990 |
Gillette, W. Michael
|
1986-2011 |
Appointed Feb. 10, 1986 to succeed Roberts; elected 1986; reelected 1992, 1998, 2004 |
Van Hoomissen, George
|
1988-2000 |
Elected May 17, 1988 to succeed Lent; reelected 1994; resigned Dec. 31, 2000 |
Fadeley, Edward N.
|
1988-1998 |
Elected Nov. 8, 1988 to succeed Campbell; reelected 1994; resigned Jan. 31, 1998 |
Unis, Richard
|
1990-1996 |
Appointed Feb. 1, 1990 to succeed Linde; elected 1990; resigned June 30, 1996 |
Graber, Susan P.4
|
1990-1998 |
Appointed May 2, 1990 and Jan. 7, 1991 to succeed Jones; elected 1992; resigned April 1, 1998 |
Durham, Robert D.
|
1994-2013 |
Appointed Jan. 4, 1994 to succeed Peterson; elected 1994; reelected 2000, 2006 |
Kulongoski, Ted
|
1997-2001 |
Elected May, 1996; resigned June 14, 2001 |
Leeson, Susan M.
|
1998-2003 |
Appointed Feb. 26, 1998 to succeed Fadeley; elected 1998; resigned Jan. 31, 2003 |
Riggs, R. William
|
1998-2006 |
Appointed Sept. 8, 1998 to succeed Graber; elected 1998; reelected 2004; resigned Sept. 30, 2006 |
De Muniz, Paul J.
|
2001-2013 |
Elected Nov. 7, 2000 to succeed Van Hoomissen; reelected 2006; chief justice 2006 to 2012 |
Balmer, Thomas A.
|
2001- |
Appointed Sept. 20, 2001 to succeed Kulongoski; elected 2002; reelected 2008; chief justice 2006 to date |
Kistler, Rives
|
2003- |
Appointed Aug. 15, 2003 to succeed Leeson; elected 2004; reelected 2010 |
Walters, Martha Lee
|
2006- |
Appointed Oct. 1, 2006 to succeed Riggs; elected 2008 |
Linder, Virginia L.
|
2007- |
Elected Nov. 7, 2006 to succeed Carson; reelected 2012 |
Landau, Jack L.
|
2011- |
Elected 2010 to succeed Gillette |
Brewer, Dave
|
2013– |
Elected 2012 to succeed De Muniz |
Baldwin, Richard C.
|
2013– |
Elected 2012 to succeed Durham |
1Unless otherwise noted, justices took office in the year in which elected until 1905. Since then, terms have started on the first Monday in January and continued until the first Monday six years hence or until a successor has been sworn in, if later.
2Appointments under territorial government were made by the president of the United States.
3From 1859 to 1862, there were four Supreme Court justices. In 1862, a fifth justice was added. The justices at that time also rode circuit. In 1878, the Supreme Court and Circuit Court were separated; the Supreme Court then had three justices. In 1910, the number increased to five. The final increase to the present seven occurred in 1913.
4When Justice Jones resigned, he had already filed to run for another term and his name appeared on the ballot at the 1990 primary election. Because he was elected for another term, which began January 7, 1991, he had to resign from his new term, and Justice Graber was appointed again at that time.