# Richard Unis
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{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Richard Unis
| image = Richard Unis judge.PNG
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| office = 89th Justice of the [Oregon Supreme Court](/source/Oregon_Supreme_Court)
| term_start = 1990
| term_end = 1996
| appointer = [Neil Goldschmidt](/source/Neil_Goldschmidt)
| predecessor = [Hans A. Linde](/source/Hans_A._Linde)
| successor = [Ted Kulongoski](/source/Ted_Kulongoski)
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|06|11}}
| birth_place = [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon)
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|2|10|1928|6|11|mf=y}}
| death_place = [Gresham, Oregon](/source/Gresham%2C_Oregon)
| party =
| spouse = Gloria Lenore Schuster
}}
'''Richard L. Unis''' (June 11, 1928 – February 10, 2016) was an American attorney in the state of [Oregon](/source/Oregon). He was the 89th justice of the [Oregon Supreme Court](/source/Oregon_Supreme_Court). Previously he was a judge for the city of Portland, a judge at the county level, and a state circuit court judge.
==Early life==
Richard Unis was born and raised in [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon), attending [Franklin High School](/source/Franklin_High_School_(Portland%2C_Oregon)).[Leeson, Fred. New justices seen as moderate, progressive thinkers. ''[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian)'', February 7, 1990.][{{cite news|last1=Hammond|first1=Betsy|title=Richard Unis, former Oregon Supreme Court justice, 'ideal' trial judge, dead at 87|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/02/richard_unis_former_oregon_sup.html|accessdate=21 February 2016|work=The Oregonian/OregonLive|date=February 20, 2016}}] After high school he attended and graduated from the [University of Oregon](/source/University_of_Oregon) on a basketball scholarship.[{{cite web|title=Richard Louis Unis (1928 - 2016)|url=http://obits.oregonlive.com/obituaries/oregon/obituary.aspx?n=richard-louis-unis&pid=177766137|website=Obituaries & Guestbooks|publisher=OregonLive|accessdate=21 February 2016}}] In 1953, Unis graduated from the [University of Oregon School of Law](/source/University_of_Oregon_School_of_Law) in [Eugene, Oregon](/source/Eugene%2C_Oregon).[[http://www.law.uoregon.edu/alumni/ol/OrLawyerS2000.pdf Former Supreme Court Judge Unis Honored With Harley Award.] ''Oregon Lawyer'', Spring 2000.] After [law school](/source/law_school) he began working at the city attorney's office in Portland.[
==Judicial career==
In 1968 Unis began serving as a municipal court judge for Portland, remaining at that position until 1971.][Leeson, Fred. Graber, Unis chosen for high court. ''[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian)'', January 31, 1990.] That year the court was merged with the county district court where Unis would serve until 1976.[ Beginning in 1969 he began teaching at [the Northwestern College of Law](/source/Lewis_%26_Clark_Law_School), while also teaching at the [National Judicial College](/source/National_Judicial_College) in [Reno, Nevada](/source/Reno%2C_Nevada).][ In January 1977 Richard Unis was appointed to the state circuit court.][
On February 1, 1990, Unis was appointed to the [Oregon Supreme Court](/source/Oregon_Supreme_Court) by Governor [Neil Goldschmidt](/source/Neil_Goldschmidt) to replace the retiring [Hans A. Linde](/source/Hans_A._Linde).][[https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/governors_guides.aspx Oregon State Archives: Governor's Records Guides.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.][[https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/history-officials.pdf Oregon Blue Book: Earliest Authorities in Oregon - Supreme Court Justices of Oregon.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.] Unis then won a full six-year term later in 1990, but resigned on June 30, 1996 before completing that term.[ He retired from the Supreme Court in order to take a position overseeing the settlement of a class action lawsuit against [Louisiana-Pacific](/source/Louisiana-Pacific) for problems with their siding material.][Church, Foster. Justice will leave state high court early to oversee L-P case. ''[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian)'', June 13, 1996.] Unis was appointed by [United States District Judge](/source/United_States_federal_judge) [Robert E. Jones](/source/Robert_E._Jones_(judge)).
==Later life and family==
Unis was awarded the Herbert Harley Award in October 1999 for his "outstanding efforts and contributions that substantially change and improve the administration of justice in their states."[ This national award is presented by the [American Judicature Society](/source/American_Judicature_Society).][ In October 2003, Unis helped finalize the settlement in the Louisiana-Pacific siding lawsuits as a special master appointed by the court.][Rivera, Dylan. LP wrapping up payments on inner-seal siding claims. ''[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian)'', October 7, 2003.]
Unis died on February 10, 2016, at [Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center](/source/Legacy_Mount_Hood_Medical_Center) in [Gresham, Oregon](/source/Gresham%2C_Oregon), at the age of 87.