President’s Message: Graffiti in the Time of Protests
By Julie Engbloom, USDCHS President 2019, 2020 “The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave.” Thomas Jefferson The quote, etched in granite on the front of the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, comes from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to Lafayette in December 1820. The correspondence put forth Jefferson’s solution to slavery: diffusion. Jefferson believed that the spread of slavery into the Louisiana Purchase territory would more quickly end the institution and result in emancipation. This idea led Jefferson to oppose the Tallmadge Amendment, which sought to admit Missouri to the Union as a free state. It is in this context Jefferson wrote: The boisterous sea of liberty indeed…
No Pandemic Drop Off in Work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office
Most members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are teleworking from home unless court or office business requires a personal presence in the office or a physical presence in court. Chief of the Civil Division Renata Gowie notes, “We haven’t really seen a drop off in work,” and that in some respects, the work has increased. “Now that we are about three months into the pandemic, a few plaintiffs are eager to conduct in-person depositions in civil defensive cases, which often requires travel to other parts of the state or out of state. Remote depositions pose their own challenges. There are technological limitations and connectivity issues, and one cannot appropriately determine…
In These Unprecedented Times? Pandemic and a Private Practitioner
By Joseph Carlisle I’ve heard the phrase “in these unprecedented times” used in virtually every type of communication – from business calls to advertisements over the past months. Its use has grown tired and I’m not sure it is entirely accurate. I write this missive from a desk that belonged to my great grandfather, who practiced law in New York City in the late 1800s and early 1900s. About a month into my current work-from-home stint, I realized that I am working at the desk that my forbears worked from during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. This gives me confidence that, one way or another, we will make it through our current…
Open for Business, Waiting for the Flood
By Stephen Raher While the COVID-19 pandemic took most people by surprise, Oregon’s bankruptcy court was actually well-prepared for the disruptions. “We have been working on our emergency preparedness plans for years,” says Clerk of Court Charlene Hiss. “While these contingency plans are usually implemented for weather-related disruptions, they have worked just as well during the current health-related lockdown.” According to Chief Bankruptcy Judge Trish Brown, “The court focused on three goals when we revised our operations and procedures: complying with public health guidelines, remaining open for all people and businesses who need our services, and protecting our staff and customers.” Complying with stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines has…
The Federal Defender Office Continues Operations During The Covid Pandemic
By Nell Brown The Office of the Federal Public Defender kicked off teleworking on March 12 with our first ever 4 pm all-office conference call and the signing of telework agreements for our personnel files. Far from time off, the Federal Public Defender staff has worked long hours during the pandemic, tackling new work such as advocating for vulnerable clients in potential prison hot spots while maintaining normalcy in workflow as much as possible and keeping our staff safe. For two months, we have maintained a stellar skeleton crew of just a few employees in the office to staff the phones and work with the court on daily business. All…