A Festive Celebration of the USDCHS Oral History Program
By Brady Yamin The U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society (USDCHS) hosted a celebration of its Oral History Program on June 25, 2026, at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse to honor Senior Judge Susan Graber of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Senior U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown. Judges Graber and Brown read excerpts from and shared stories about their USDCHS oral histories, reflecting on their personal journeys, family histories, and challenges faced and overcome over several decades. USDCHS President Douglas Pahl of Ashurst Perkins Coie welcomed a packed Courtroom 9A, a historic courtroom for Judge Brown, who recalled presiding over two…
Pandemic Reflections: Looking Beyond Our Courtrooms
By Hon. Stacie F. Beckerman, U.S. Magistrate Judge In December 2019, I informed a pregnant defendant (“G”) at her arraignment that I was detaining her pending trial. She fainted. The deputy U.S. Marshal called 911, and G was rushed to the hospital. She was treated and released, and at the continued hearing, I stood my ground. However, a few months later, her baby was born suffering from complications, and I released G from custody to nurse her daughter to health while housed in a structured program. Soon G had demonstrated that she was not going to run, and I allowed her to return home to her family, but with…
On Liberty, During a Pandemic
By U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman I enter the courtroom and sit behind the bench in silence, without the ceremonial “all rise.” Instead of greeting the defendant, defense lawyer, prosecutor, and a small crowd of onlookers in the gallery, I sit alone and turn on my computer. On the monitor, the split-screen captures video feeds from all over the state: an individual in custody in federal prison, a defense lawyer sitting at his kitchen table, the prosecutor sitting in her home office, a court reporter, an interpreter, and me, seated and robed at my courtroom bench, positioned in front of our federal court seal. Court is in session. Thanks to…