United States District Court for the District of Oregon

{{short description|United States federal district court of Oregon (U.S. state)}} {{redirect|District of Oregon|the Civil-War-era U.S. Army district|District of Oregon (military)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox U.S. federal court | court_type = district | court_name = United States District Court for the District of Oregon | abbreviation = D. Ore. | seal = Seal of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.gif | seal_size = 150 | map_image_name = | map_image_width = 150 | map_image_caption = | courthouse = Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse | location = Portland | courthouse1 = Wayne Lyman Morse U.S. Courthouse | location1 = Eugene | courthouse2 = James A. Redden Federal Courthouse | location2 = Medford | courthouse3 = John F. Kilkenny U.S. Post Office and Courthouse | location3 = Pendleton | appeals_to = Ninth Circuit | established = March 3, 1859 | judges_assigned = 6 | chief = Michael J. McShane | us_attorney = Scott E. Bradford ''(interim)'' | us_marshal = Russel Burger | official_site = {{URL|https://www.ord.uscourts.gov/}} }}

The '''United States District Court for the District of Oregon''' (in case citations, '''D. Ore.''' or '''D. Or.''') is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the state was admitted to the Union. Appellate jurisdiction belongs to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit). Matthew P. Deady served as its first judge.

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. {{As of|2025|7|29|df=US}}, the interim United States attorney is Scott E. Bradford.

== Organization == thumb|right|260px|Map of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.{{unbulleted list|{{colorbox|#0000FF}} Portland Division|{{colorbox|#FF0000}} Pendleton Division|{{colorbox|#008000}} Eugene Division|{{colorbox|#FFFF00}} Medford Division}}

The District of Oregon has four divisional offices within the state: Portland, Eugene, Medford, and Pendleton. Among them, the Portland, Eugene, and Medford Divisions are all staffed. The Pendleton Division is not staffed and in-person filings must be made in the Portland Division.<ref name=lr3>{{cite web |date=September 3, 2024 |title=LR 3 - Commencement of Action |url=https://www.ord.uscourts.gov/index.php/rules-orders-and-notices/local-rules/civil-procedure/1985-lr-03-commencement-of-action |website=District of Oregon |publisher=United States district court |access-date=October 20, 2025}}</ref> The '''Portland Division''' holds court at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse and handles cases from Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Hood River, Jefferson, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, and Yamhill Counties.<ref name="lr3" /> The '''Medford Division''' meets at the James A. Redden United States Courthouse and handles cases from Curry, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lake Counties.<ref name="lr3" /><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041108095619/http://w3.gsa.gov/web/p/interaia_save.nsf/1fd3e688294c3a74852563d3004975f4/6d48b6c0c45dc100852565d90053a04e?OpenDocument GAS: Historic Federal Buildings]</ref> The '''Pendleton Division''' holds session at John F. Kilkenny United States Post Office and Courthouse and covers cases from Baker, Crook, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wheeler Counties.<ref name="lr3" /><ref name="Oregonian">{{cite journal | title = Judge John Kilkenny, 93, Dies | journal = The Oregonian | pages = B01 | date = February 20, 2000 | publisher = Oregonian Publishing Co. }} </ref> The Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse houses the '''Eugene Division''' that handles cases from Benton, Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, and Marion Counties.<ref name=lr3/>

== History == [[File:Pioneer Courthouse 1875.jpg|thumb|200px|The District of Oregon met in the U.S. Custom House and Post Office of Portland until 1933.]] After Oregon became a state on February 14, 1859, the United States Congress created the District of Oregon encompassing the entire state on March 3, 1859.<ref name=fed>[https://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_district_or.html U.S. District Court of Oregon: Legislative history]</ref> The bill creating the district authorized a single judge and also designated it as a judicial circuit.<ref name=fed/> President James Buchanan appointed Matthew Deady as judge, and the court was to hold annual sessions in April and September at the seat of government in Salem.<ref name=Horner>Horner, John B. (1919). ''Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature''. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. p. 168-169.</ref> Deady held the first session of the court on September 12, 1859, in Salem, but was able to have the court relocated to Portland by the September session of 1860.<ref name=Horner/> Beginning in 1933, the court was housed in the United States Courthouse (now Gus J. Solomon United States Courthouse) before moving to the new Hatfield Courthouse in 1997.<ref name=courthouse>[http://www.fjc.gov/history/courthouses.nsf/getcourthouse?OpenAgent&chid=5E71A6AE37D1B9AA8525718B00719D4B Historic Federal Courthouses: Portland, Oregon.] Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved on November 19, 2007.</ref>

On March 3, 1863, Congress passed a law that removed the circuit court jurisdiction and transferred appeals court jurisdiction to the Tenth Circuit, and in 1866 transferred it again to the Ninth Circuit.<ref name=fed/> On April 18, 1877, court clerk Ralph Wilcox committed suicide in his office at the court using a Deringer pistol.<ref name=death>{{cite news |title=Shocking suicide |work=Stockton Daily Independent |date=April 21, 1877 |url=http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/OREGON/2001-10/1003971507 |access-date=June 29, 2007 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> On March 27, 1885, Judge Deady admitted Mary Leonard to the federal bar, the first woman admitted in Oregon.<ref name=Stanford>Abrams, Kerry. [http://womenslegalhistory.stanford.edu/papers/LeonardM-Abrams.pdf Folk Hero, Hell Raiser, Mad Woman, Lady Lawyer: What is the Truth about Mary Leonard?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530093413/http://womenslegalhistory.stanford.edu/papers/LeonardM-Abrams.pdf |date=May 30, 2008 }} Women's Legal History Biography Project. Stanford Law School. Retrieved on May 7, 2008.</ref> In 1909, Congress added another seat to the court, followed by another judgeship in 1949.<ref name=fed/> On October 20, 1978, Congress passed a law authorizing two more positions on the bench of the Oregon district court.<ref name=fed/> The first woman to serve on the court was Helen J. Frye, whose service began on February 20, 1980. In 1990, Congress added a sixth judgeship for the district.<ref name=fed/> Ancer L. Haggerty, the first African American on the court, began his service on March 28, 1994. {{clear}}

== Current judges == [[Image:Hatfieldcourthouse.jpg|thumb|200px|The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland.]] <onlyinclude> {{As of|2025|03|29|df=US}}: {{start U.S. judgeship Current}} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 29 | title = Chief Judge | name = Michael J. McShane | duty station = Eugene | born = 1961 | term = 2013–present | chief term = 2024–present | senior term = — | appointer = Obama }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 28 | title = District Judge | name = Michael H. Simon | duty station = Portland | born = 1956 | term = 2011–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Obama }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 30 | title = District Judge | name = Karin Immergut | duty station = Portland | born = 1960 | term = 2019–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Trump }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 31 | title = District Judge | name = Adrienne Nelson | duty station = Portland | born = 1967 | term = 2023–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Biden }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 32 | title = District Judge | name = Amy M. Baggio | duty station = Portland | born = 1973 | term = 2024–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Biden }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 33 | title = District Judge | name = Mustafa T. Kasubhai | duty station = Eugene | born = 1970 | term = 2024–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Biden }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 22 | title = Senior Judge | name = Ancer L. Haggerty | duty station = ''inactive'' | born = 1944 | term = 1994–2009 | chief term = 2002–2009 | senior term = 2009–present | appointer = Clinton }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 23 | title = Senior Judge | name = Ann Aiken | duty station = Eugene | born = 1951 | term = 1998–2023 | chief term = 2009–2016 | senior term = 2023–present | appointer = Clinton }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 25 | title = Senior Judge | name = Anna J. Brown | duty station = Portland | born = 1952 | term = 1999–2017 | chief term = — | senior term = 2017–present | appointer = Clinton }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 26 | title = Senior Judge | name = Michael W. Mosman | duty station = Portland | born = 1956 | term = 2003–2021 | chief term = 2016–2019 | senior term = 2021–present | appointer = G.W. Bush }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 27 | title = Senior Judge | name = Marco A. Hernandez | duty station = Portland | born = 1957 | term = 2011–2024 | chief term = 2019–2024 | senior term = 2024–present | appointer = Obama }} {{end U.S. judgeship Current}}</onlyinclude>

== Former judges == {{start US judgeship no state}} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 1 | name = Matthew Deady | borndied = 1824–1893 | term = 1859–1893 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Buchanan | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 2 | name = Charles B. Bellinger | borndied = 1839–1905 | term = 1893–1905 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Cleveland | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 3 | name = Charles E. Wolverton | borndied = 1851–1926 | term = 1905–1926<ref group=Note>Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 5, 1905, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 10, 1906, and received commission the same day.</ref> | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = T. Roosevelt | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 4 | name = Robert S. Bean | borndied = 1854–1931 | term = 1909–1931 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Taft | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 5 | name = John Hugh McNary | borndied = 1867–1936 | term = 1927–1936 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Coolidge | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 6 | name = James Alger Fee | borndied = 1888–1959 | term = 1931–1954<ref group=Note>Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1931, confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 1931, and received commission on December 23, 1931.</ref> | chief term = 1948–1954 | senior term = — | appointer = Hoover | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 7 | name = Claude C. McColloch | borndied = 1888–1959 | term = 1937–1958 | chief term = 1954–1958 | senior term = 1958–1959 | appointer = F. Roosevelt | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 8 | name = Gus J. Solomon | borndied = 1906–1987 | term = 1949–1971<ref group=Note>Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on June 27, 1950, and received commission on July 5, 1950.</ref> | chief term = 1958–1971 | senior term = 1971–1987 | appointer = Truman | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 9 | name = William G. East | borndied = 1908–1985 | term = 1955–1967 | chief term = — | senior term = 1967–1985 | appointer = Eisenhower | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 10 | name = John Kilkenny | borndied = 1901–1995 | term = 1959–1969 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Eisenhower | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 11 | name = Robert C. Belloni | borndied = 1919–1999 | term = 1967–1984 | chief term = 1971–1976 | senior term = 1984–1999 | appointer = L. Johnson | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 12 | name = Alfred Goodwin | borndied = 1923–2022 | term = 1969–1971 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Nixon | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 13 | name = Otto Richard Skopil Jr. | borndied = 1919–2012 | term = 1972–1979 | chief term = 1976–1979 | senior term = — | appointer = Nixon | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 14 | name = James M. Burns | borndied = 1924–2001 | term = 1972–1989 | chief term = 1979–1984 | senior term = 1989–2001 | appointer = Nixon | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 15 | name = Helen J. Frye | borndied = 1930–2011 | term = 1980–1995 | chief term = — | senior term = 1995–2011 | appointer = Carter | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 16 | name = Owen M. Panner | borndied = 1924–2018 | term = 1980–1992 | chief term = 1984–1990 | senior term = 1992–2018 | appointer = Carter | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 17 | name = James A. Redden | borndied = 1929–2020 | term = 1980–1995 | chief term = 1990–1995 | senior term = 1995–2020 | appointer = Carter | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 18 | name = Edward Leavy | borndied = 1929–2023 | term = 1984–1987 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = Reagan | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 19 | name = Malcolm F. Marsh | borndied = 1928–2025 | term = 1987–1998 | chief term = — | senior term = 1998–2025 | appointer = Reagan | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 20 | title = Senior Judge | name = Robert E. Jones | borndied = 1927–2025 | term = 1990–2000 | chief term = — | senior term = 2000–2025 | appointer = G.H.W. Bush | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 21 | name = Michael Robert Hogan | borndied = 1946–2025 | term = 1991–2011 | chief term = 1995–2002 | senior term = 2011–2012 | appointer = G.H.W. Bush | termination = retirement }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 24 | name = Garr King | borndied = 1936–2019 | term = 1998–2009 | chief term = — | senior term = 2009–2019 | appointer = Clinton | termination = death }} {{End}} {{Reflist|group=Note}}

== Chief judges == {{start U.S. judge succession | float = right | seat title = Chief Judge }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Fee | term = 1948–1954 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = McColloch | term = 1954–1958 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Solomon | term = 1958–1971 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Belloni | term = 1971–1976 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Skopil, Jr. | term = 1976–1979 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Burns | term = 1979–1984 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Panner | term = 1984–1990 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Redden, Jr. | term = 1990–1995 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Hogan | term = 1995–2002 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Haggerty | term = 2002–2009 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Aiken | term = 2009–2016 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Mosman | term = 2016–2019 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Hernandez | term = 2019–2024 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''McShane''' | term = 2024-present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}}

== Succession of seats ==

{{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 1 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on March 3, 1859 by 11 Stat. 437 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Deady | term = 1859–1893 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Bellinger | term = 1893–1905 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Wolverton | term = 1905–1926 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = McNary | term = 1927–1936 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = McColloch | term = 1937–1959 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Kilkenny | term = 1959–1969 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Goodwin | term = 1969–1971 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Skopil, Jr. | term = 1972–1979 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Panner | term = 1980–1992 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Haggerty | term = 1994–2009 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''Simon''' | term = 2011–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 2 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on March 2, 1909 by 35 Stat. 686 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Bean | term = 1909–1931 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Fee | term = 1931–1954 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = East | term = 1955–1967 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Belloni | term = 1967–1984 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Leavy | term = 1984–1987 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Marsh | term = 1987–1998 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Brown | term = 1999–2017 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''Immergut''' | term = 2019–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 3 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Solomon | term = 1949–1971 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Burns | term = 1972–1989 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Jones | term = 1990–2000 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Mosman | term = 2003–2021 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''Nelson''' | term = 2023–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 4 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Redden, Jr. | term = 1980–1995 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Aiken | term = 1998–2023 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''Kasubhai''' | term = 2024–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{Col-end}} {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 5 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Frye | term = 1980–1995 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = King | term = 1998–2009 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Hernandez | term = 2011–2024 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''Baggio''' | term = 2024–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 6 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = Hogan | term = 1991–2011 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''McShane''' | term = 2013–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{Col-end}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.ord.uscourts.gov/ United States District Court for the District of Oregon Official Website] * [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/or/ United States Attorney for the District of Oregon Official Website] * [https://www.usdchs.org/ U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society] * {{webarchive |date=December 9, 2012 |url=https://archive.today/20121209175907/http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid='0E,*P,_9%220%20%20%0A |title=Judicial Nomination Statistics: U.S. District and Circuit Courts, 1945–1976}} from the Congressional Research Service {{Oregon Courts}} {{United States 9th Circuit district judges}} {{USDistCourts}} {{Authority control}} {{coord|45.51580|N|122.67624|W|type:landmark_region:US-OR|display=title}} {{DEFAULTSORT:United States District Court for the District of Oregon}} Category:Oregon law Oregon Category:Portland, Oregon Category:Eugene, Oregon Category:Medford, Oregon Category:Pendleton, Oregon Category:1859 establishments in Oregon Category:Courthouses in Oregon Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1859 *

United States District Court for the District of Oregon

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