Newsletters

The 2022 and 2023 Newsletters are sponsored by the following firms:

 

 

 

Oregon Benchmarks Spring Summer 2022 Roswell Lamson, Naval Hero and Clerk of the Court: ”The People of Oregon Feel Proud to Call You Their Son” — 2022 Lifetime Service Award Recipient: Ed Harnden — Our Newsletter Sponsors! — Billy J. Williams: A U.S. Attorney’s Tenure Like No Other — Oral History: “As many different perspectives as possible” — Moving Pictures: Digitizing our Collection — USDCHS Annual Picnic

Oregon Benchmarks Winter 2021 Pandemic Reflections: Looking Beyond Our Courtrooms — Your Case is Set for Trial… by Zoom! — Judge Malcolm F. Marsh, Lifetime Service Award 2020: A Judicial Philosophy of Kindness — Thank You Attorney Admissions Fund — Honoring U.S. District Judge James Milton Burns

Oregon Benchmarks Spring Summer 2020 President’s Message: Graffiti in the Time of Protests — The Investiture of U.S. District Judge Kairn J. Immergut — On Liberty, During a Pandemic — Open for Business, Waiting for the Flood — In These Unprecedented Times? Pandemic and a Private Practitioner — The Federal Defender’s Office Continues Operations — No Drop Off in Work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office — Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain: From Politics to Judgment — Judge James A. Redden (1929-2020) — Arlene Schnitzer (1929-2020) — Please Note: No Picnic for 2020  

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2019 Winter 2020 The Hon. Danielle Hunsaker: A Gifted, Humble, and Kind Jurist — Remembering Judge Dennis Hubel — The Investiture of U.S. Magistrate Judge Mustafa Taher Kasubhai — USDCHS Annual Picnic: History, Hospitality, and Hops — Judge Anna J. Brown, Lifetime Service Award 2019: “Fundamentally inclined toward solving problems”

Oregon Benchmarks Spring/Summer 2019 A Double Portrait Unveiling and Honoring the Society’s Longtime Historian — 2019 Lifetime Service Award Recipient — Celebrating the Remarkable Life of Judge Owen M. Panner: From Whizbang to the Federal Bench and the “Best Saddle in the Arena” —  Judge Owen Panner and the Warm Springs Tribe —  “A lawyer who made the rest of us proud to be lawyers:” — Memories of Judge Owen Panner —  Unquestionably and Eminently Qualified”: Remembering Judge Garr M. King — “They Got the Grant!”: Digitizing the Oregon Story — A Founding Friend: Clerk of the Court Robert M. Christ, 1927–2019 —  Wild Wild History: Key Players in the Rajneesh Episode Come Together for Famous Cases Discussion

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2018 Winter 2019 U.S. Magistrate Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai: “The Friend and Mentor I Needed” — Oral History Update — Oregon Attorney General Moderates Famous Cases Panel — Lifetime Service Award 2018 ,Barnes H. Elllis: “The Role of a Lawyer is to be a Good Citizen” — Sharing our History through Social Media

Oregon Benchmarks Spring Summer 2018 U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris:  A Practical Star for Oregon and the Country — 2018 Lifetime Service Award Recipient: Barnes Ellis — Oral Historian Janice Dilg: Passing of the Recording Devices — White House Appoints U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams to Continue to Serve the District of Oregon — Oregon Bankruptcy Court: From 1978 to the Present –Mary Jo Peters: 35 years of Service to the District of Oregon — Department of Homage: Wendy Koble and Volunteer Transcribers

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2017 The Hatfield Courthouse at Twenty — Jeffrey M Batchelor: From “Tough to “Batchelor is BACK” LSA Recipient 2017 — Famous Cases: The Story of Oregon’s Scandalous Senator Returns to the Pioneer Courthouse — The Tumultuous Presidential Election of 1876 —  Remembering Judge Henry Hess — Photos of Annual Dinner

Oregon Benchmarks Spring-Summer 2017 Judge Anna J. Brown Takes Senior Status — 2017 Lifetime Service Award Recipient, Jeff Batchelor — Judge Anna J. Brown Honored with American Inns of Court’s Esteemed Professionalism Award — Judge David Hercher Investiture — Courting History — DeJonge v. Oregon: 1930s case revisited in Famous Case Program — The End of an Era: James A. Redden Closes his Chambers — Charter of the Forest Lecture — Group Photo of Oregon’s Federal Judges 2017 –Judge Robert Jones turns 90

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2016 Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo: Eugene’s First Woman Magistrate — Thank you to our Generous Sponsors — Bankruptcy Judge Randall L. Dunn to Retire — Neither Snow Nor Rain Nor Graft: Oregon’s Supporting Role in the Star Route Scandals — Jewel and Ron Lansing: 2016 Lifetime Service Award — (Almost) President Hughes: The Benson Decision — The (Slowly) Changing Face of Oregon’s Judiciary

Oregon Benchmarks Spring Summer 2016  Judge Youlee Yim You: A New Magistrate Judge for Oregon — Lansings Honored — Remembering Carolyn Buan — Portraits of Oregon Magistrates Unveiled — Judge Edward Leavy Receives Devitt Award — David Looney: Chief Federal Probation Officer, 1991-2000 — A Courthouse Centennial — 2015 Lifetime Service Award, Judge Robert E. Jones: Making and Preserving History

Oregon Benchmarks Spring Summer 2015  Judge Peter McKittrick: A New Bankruptcy Judge for Oregon –Annual Meeting Nov. 12, 2015, Lifetime Service Award to Judge Robert E. Jones — Judge Stacie F. Beckerman: a New Magistrate Judge for Oregon — Judge Elizabeth Perris: Commemorating over 30 Years on the Bankruptcy Bench — Kernan Bagley: Fifty Years of Service — Oregon’s Stepping Stone in the Path to Same-Sex Marriage — Crash Course in Federal Court — 800 Candles for Magna Carta — When Magna Carta Came to Portland — Helen Hogan Burns: a Founding Spirit — Transition in the Office of U.S. Attorney for Oregon — Obscenity and Scotch: the Road to A Life in Judging: Ted Goodwin of Oregon — Annual Picnic, Aug. 9.

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2014 Winter 2015  Transitions for District Court Judges: A Total of 69 Years on the Federal Bench –Oregon’s newest Bankruptcy Judge: Peter Chaffin McKittrick — Annual meeting 2014 — The Difference a Decade Makes: Lifting Oregon’s ban on Same-Sex Marriage — Jerry Harris, Court Reporter Extraordinaire — An Evening with the Great Dissenters –Steven T. Wax receives 2014 Lifetime Service Award — Lisa Hay, Oregon’s New Federal Public Defender — Famous Cases: Bankruptcy in the Cathedral — Famous Cases: Behind the Curtain, Inside the Supreme Court — Oral History 2014:  Looking Back, Moving Forward –Bench and Bar Social.

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2014   Judge Michael McShane: A Formal Welcome — Remembering Jan Dysart — The Day I Met Justice Sotomayor — Justice Sotomayor visits Lewis and Clark College — Honoring Oregon District Judges –Noreen Kelly Saltveit McGraw:  Trail-Blazing Trial Attorney — Joseph Alton Sladen and his House of Stories

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2013   Portrait Unveiling of Judge Susan Graber — Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart Celebrates a Twentieth Anniversary — Norm Sepenuk Receives Lifetime Service Award —  Justice Clarence Thomas visits Portland — Sid Lezak Oral History, Part II.

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2013 Portrait Unveilings for Judges Ancer Haggerty and Garr King — Judge Michael Mosman Named to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court — Judge Michael McShane Joins the Federal Bench — Chief Justice John Roberts Visits Lewis & Clark Law School — Wayne Chin: Oregon’s Court Painter — Oregon’s Women Judges– Sid Lezak Oral History, Part I — Lifetime Member Ron Lansing.

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2012  Judge John A. Jelderks: “The system is important…we work for the people” — A Piece of History in the Courthouse — Magistrate Judges on Oregon: Things Look Different Here — 2012 Annual Picnic:  Celebrating the Magistrate Judge’s System in Oregon — Randall B. Kester: Remembering our First President — Honoring Senior Judges — Hattie Redmond: A Chapter of District Court History– Lifetime Member:  Ed Harnden: Being Involved and Having Fun

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2012  Judge Otto Skopil: Four Decades on the Federal Bench — Voices from the Oral History Collection — 2012 Lifetime Service Award: Arlene Schnitzer, Portland Philanthropist — Annual Dinner 2012: 100 Days, a Lifetime & 100 Years of Service — A Tribute to Randall Blair Kester — Peter McCabe and the Federal Magistrate Program — Taking a New Path: Judge Michael Hogan Retires — Lifetime Member: Heather Van Meter — Famous Cases: Williams v. Philip Morris

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2011  Judge Albert E. Radcliffe:  Masterful Case Manager, Gifted Educator — Judge Helen Frye: A Woman of Many Firsts — Welcome Judge Marco Hernandez — Lifetime Member: Honorable Judge Anna J. Brown — Distinguished Trial Attorneys Video Interviews — John L. Schwabe (1919-2011):  A Great Soldier-Lawyer-Citizen —

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2011  The Hon. Hernández and Simon Sworn In: Oregon Welcomes New Federal Judges — Thomas Renn is Oregon’s Newest Bankruptcy Judge — 2011 Annual Meeting and Dinner — “He was everything you hoped to have in a judge.” Remembering Judge Donald Ashmanskas — Betty Roberts: Honoring a Trailblazer —  Lifetime member Justice Edwin J. Peterson: Contributing to Efficient Courts — 2011 Lifetime Service Award Judge Edward Leavy and Family — Federal Circuit Visits Oregon — Oregon’s New U.S. Attorney Sworn In

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2010 George H. Fraser: 2010 Lifetime Service Award Winner — Lifetime Member: Arden Shenker, Practicing, Making History — Magistrate Judge John (Jack) Cooney Unveiled — An Inspiring Discussion on Human Rights — Famous Cases:  Life and Opinions of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes — Book review, The Politics of Public Ventures: An Oregon Memoir by John Beatty –Exhibit Looks at FBI and DOJ Prior to Pearl Harbor — Oral History Collection Gives Unique Insights into Oregon History – Book Review — Murder, Morality and Madness: Women Criminals in Early Oregon by Diane L. Goeres-Gardner

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2010 Memories of working for civil rights, Life and Death in Mississippi, Part Two — A Lively Summer Associates Program and Social — Trial Lawyers: What They Are, Why We Need Them — Looking Back: Memories of Great Oregon Trial Lawyers  — Legal Lights in New Exhibit — A Record-Setting Picnic

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2010  Memories of Working for Civil rights, Part One: 1964, Jacob Tanzer’s Story of Life and Death in Mississippi — Oral History Today–Oral History Volunteers — Judge John Cooney: Medford’s First Magistrate Judge — Lifetime member Judge Owen Panner: “Positively Contribute” — Book review:  Cross Purposes: Pierce v. Society of Sisters and the Struggle over Compulsory Public Education

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2009  Nancy Moriarty, 2009 Lifetime Service Award Winner Dedicated to Preserving Oregon’s Legal Heritage — Candidates for Judicial Openings in the District Court of Oregon — USDCHS Oral History Goes Digital — U.S. District Court Historical Society Annual Picnic Hosts Historic Signing Ceremony — Hattie Bratzel Kremen: Court Reporter, Judicial Assistant at Nuremberg Tribunals, and Oregon’s First Female District Attorney — 150 Years: Reflections on Judge Matthew Deady and the Rough Hewn Yet Gilded Beginnings of Oregon’s District Court

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2009  The Honorable Garr Michael King: Ten years (and counting) of devoted service — Congratulations to Board Member David Rees – What is Senior Status? — Remembering a Great Oregon Lawyer: John Jaqua – Lifetime Member: Helen Burns – William G. East: one of Oregon’s Hidden Judges – Introduction to Federal Court: Summer Associates Program – Society preserves George Dysart papers –A Convergence of Skopil Clerks

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2009  The Honorable Ann Aiken: Chief Judge of the District of Oregon — U.S. District Court Historical Society Unveils Oregon’s History-making Magistrate Judges’ Portraits — Famous Cases:  Berhanu v. Metzger The Civil Case Against the White Supremacists Who Murdered Mulugeta Seraw — Remembering Judge Donal Sullivan — Chief Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris remembers “A Wonderful Mentor and Colleague” — Lifetime Member Paul Fortino: Keeping the Flame Alive — Judge Roosevelt Robinson – Book review of Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of a Japanese-American Family by Lauren Kessler

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2008  Chief Judge Ancer Haggerty: “Resolutely continuing his determined efforts” — Randall Kester: A Lifetime Member’s Commitment — A Supreme September in Portland — Women Judges Meet in Portland — Steve Brischetto: Binding It All Together — Oral History Update – 2008 Lifetime Service Award:  Judge Owen Panner – Book review of Kafka Comes To America: Fighting For Justice In The War On Terror, A Public Defender’s Inside Account by Stephen T. Wax — Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Visits Lewis and Clark Law School

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2008  Judge James Redden: From Beaches to Salmon, 45 Years of Service — Lifetime Member Exposed! Jeff Batchelor — Become a Lifetime Member of the Historical Society – Book reviews, My Grandfather’s Son: A Memoir by Clarence Thomas, 2007 With Grit and By Grace: Breaking Trails in Politics and Law, A Memoir by Betty Roberts with Gail Wells, 2008

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2008 Judge John Acosta The U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society Newsletter Investiture of a New Federal Magistrate Judge — Judge Ashmanskas: A Career of Service and Humor — Dean of Deans: University of Oregon’s Orlando J. Hollis — Markowitz, Herbold, Glade & Mehlhaf: 25 Years of Good Arguments — Honors Extending Praise: Barnes Ellis on Judge John C. Beatty, Jr.– Famous Cases: Casey Martin v. PGA Tour

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2007 Norman J. Wiener: Law Firm Leader Receives Lifetime Service Award — Judge Polly Higdon — A Memorable Evening: the 2007 Annual Meeting — New Magistrate Judge Selected — Judge Robert Belloni: Entranced by the Complexities of the Law — 2007 Picnic Honors Women in the Legal Profession

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2007 Hon. Susan P. Graber: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit — Oregon’s Historic Case of Eco-Sabotage — Remembering Hal Hart — 2007 Picnic Honors Oregon Women in the Law

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2007 Judge Robert E. Jones: From Painting Ships to Meeting The Supremes — Chief Judge Ancer Haggerty Receives Legal Citizen of the Year Award — The Historic Portland Archdiocese Bankruptcy — Magistrate Judge Mark D. Clarke Takes His Place on the Bench — Oregon’s Longest Running Case — Honoring Caroline Stoel

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2006  Judge Anna J. Brown:  First Generation American Success — Remembering the Honorable Clifford Freeman — Tom and Caroline Stoel Receive 2006 Lifetime Service Award — George Juba: Trail Blazer for the Federal Magistrate System — Famous Cases: Bonnichsen v. United States, The “Kennewick Man” Case 

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2006  “Energy, Good Judgement and Humor:” Thoughts on Renowned Mediator Sid Lezak — Magistrate Judge George E. Juba — Oregon’s Groundbreaking Federal Drug Court — Annual Picnic Celebrates Longevity in Law Partnerships – Book Review, Gus J. Solomon: Liberal Politics, Jews, and the Federal Courts By Harry H. Stein Oregon Historical Society Press, 2006 — Civil Rights Exhibit at the Courthouse — Velma Jeremiah: Pronto Pups, Trail Blazing, and Stand-up Comedy

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2006   Upcoming Famous Case: United States v. Gonzales, Oregon’s Latest Supreme Court Decision — The USDCHS Oral History Program — Glancing Backward, Striding Forward: Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) — Judge Panner Moves to Medford — Remembering Mercedes Deiz — Oral History withU.S. Magistrate Stephen Bloom

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2005  Judges Helen Frye, Owen Panner and James Redden: Three Oregon Judges and a 25th Anniversary — The Hon.Mercedes Deiz, 1917–2005 — Katherine O’Neil Honored for Lifetime Service — History-Makers Picnic

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2005  “I’m always learning on the job”: Long-time Oregon Bankruptcy Judge Donal Sullivan – Book Review — Serving Justice: A History of the Oregon State Bar, 1890-2000 By Gordon B. Dodds and Cathy Croghan Alzner– Historical Society Membership Drive

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2005  The Birth of the Brandeis Brief, Muller v. Oregon:  Women, Law, and Labor — Chief Justice Wallace P. Carson, Jr.: The Legislative Years — Mark Weatherford: “A Lawyer’s Lawyer”—Book Review, Portland Confidential: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Rose City By Phil Stanford

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2004  “A Judge Should Listen:” Judge Edward Leavy’s Remarkable 47 Years on the Bench — A Tribute to the Honorable Roosevelt Robinson — Randall Kester Honored for Lifetime Service — Fall Famous Cases: One Nation Under Something – Book Review, Portland: People, Politics, and Power, 1851-2001, by Jewel Lansing

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2004  A True Son of Oregon: Judge Malcolm Marsh — Fall Famous Cases Presentation: Supreme Court Pledge of Allegiance Ruling — A Constitutional Chameleon: Pierce v. Society of Sisters — World War II Sevice Record of Frank Bauman –Oral History Notes: Chief Justice Wallace “Wally Carson, Jr., Part 1 –Wayne Lyman Morse U.S. Courthouse

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2004  Upcoming Famous Cases Program: Oregon’s Cornerstone in the Right to Privacy Doctrine — Karin Immergut: Oregon’s U.S. Attorney — USDCHS Oral History Project Seeks Interviewers — Fort Roach, George S. Patton and a “Tort Revolution;” A Conversation with John Ryan

Oregon Benchmarks Winter 2004  Michael Mosman: Oregon’s Newest District Court Judge — Famous Cases and CLE Credit — New U.S. Courthouse in Eugene – Book Review, A Hundred Little Hitlers: The Death of a Black Man, the Trial of a White Racist, and the Rise of the NeoNazi Movement in America By Elinor Langer — Full Annual Meeting Hears Governor Ted Kulongoski

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 2003  Famous Cases: Surveillance! The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Court — Gordon Dodds, Northwest Historian — Do You Know the Judge?

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2003 What’s in a Name? Barrie Herbold’s Path: Peter Pan to Learned Hand — Remembering George Dysart — Do You Know the Judge? — William White – Book review, Ties That Bind By Phillip Margolin

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2003 Famous Cases: Arguing Before the United States Supreme Court — Book Review Dead by Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer by Ann Rule, reviewed by Judge Owen Panner — Judge Owen Panner From Whizbang to the Bench

Oregon Benchmarks Winter 2003 Famous Cases: Professor Jim Mooney Details Pennoyer v Neff – Legal Heritage Interest Group Learns About Native Americans and the Law – James J. Brosnahan Speaks at Annual Dinner – A Lawyer recalls Judge Burns Wisdom – History of a Coos County Law firm, pt. II   

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2002 – A Most Compassionate Man: Memorial Service Pays Tribute to Judge Burns – Attorney Conference Room Available in the Mark Hatfield Courthouse – Famous Cases: United States v. Loud Hawk et al. – The Honorable James M. Burns, A Remembrance – Thoughts about Judge Burns – A Probation Officer’s reminiscence of “James the Just: — James Burns, the Consummate Gentleman

 

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2001 — Japanese Exclusion Case of United States v. Yasui — Judge Edward Leavy’s Portrait unveiled –Betty Roberts reflects on her Life and Career, Part 2 – Oral History Notes, Wendell Gray – Oregon Legal History Quiz

 

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 2000  Setting the Standard: Carol Hewitt in the U.S. District Court – Courthouse Time Travel – A fond Farewell to Judge Belloni – Make a “Date” with Oregon Legal History

 

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 2000  Setting the Standard Part 2: Carol Hewitt–the Dalkon Shield Cases and Beyond – Program brings Legal history to life: From Rolls-Royces to Murder Conspiracies – The Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Era – Oregon Legal History Quiz 

 

 

 

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 1999 The Honorable Robert C. Belloni The Story of a Kid from Myrtle Point – The Artful Side of the Law, Artist of the Portrait: Wayne Chin – Judge Helen Frye talks about retirement – Oral History Notes: the early History of Lane Powell Spears Lubersky – From our Members Bookshelves: Exploring Oregon’s Historic Courthouses

 

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 1999  History of Note: The Origins of the Oregon Bankruptcy Court – A Conversation with Judge Ann Aiken – Oral History Notes: Metta Walker Baughman Beeman, Early Woman Lawyer – On Our Member’s Bookshelves: Rose City Justice – Whimsical stories from Legal History

Oregon Benchmarks Fall 1998 The Convoluted Case of Howell vs. Deady : Case Provides Insights Into Federal Court Practice – Promoting a Racial Politics of Moderation, Book review  – The Artful Side of the Law: The Exterior Imagery of the Federal Courthouse – Oral History Notes, Helen Althaus: Playing a Leading Role in Oregon’s Legal Community

Oregon Benchmarks Summer 1998  Two “Legal Eagles” on the Washington Hot Seat: John Mitchell and George Williams  – The Bill Dale I knew – “I just Fell Into It!:” An Interview with Mystery Writer/Lawyer Phillip Margolin  – On Our Members Bookshelves, The Great Chief Justice: John Marshall and the Rule of Law  – The Artful Side of the Law: Selecting Art for the Courthouse – Oral History Notes, Judge Ted Goodwin: The intersection of the Biographical and the Institutional

Oregon Benchmarks Spring 1998   The New Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse: Dignity, Grandeur, and a Sense of History in One Stunning Package – Ann Aiken Sworn In –  Oral History Notes: Judge Ed Luckey’s Look Back – On Our Members’ Bookshelves: American Scripture, the Making of the Declaration Independence