This is a list of Oregon judges that have served within the confines of the United States in the state of Oregon, as well as people from Oregon that have served in federal courts outside of the state. These include judges that served prior to statehood on February 14, 1859, including the judges of the Provisional Government of Oregon. Those listed include judges of the Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Tax Court, and the Oregon Court of Appeals at the state level. Judges for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon and judges from Oregon that have served on other federal courts are also listed. The judges of the Oregon circuit courts, who generally serve a single county, are not listed.

Pre-Provisional Government John Kirk Townsend is recorded to have served as a judge prior to the establishment of the Provisional Government of Oregon. Name Years Notes John Kirk Townsend 1835 Oversaw murder trial of Thomas J. Hubbard at Fort William.Narrative of a Journey: Introduction. OSU Press. Retrieved January 31, 2008.

Provisional Government

Formation process of the Provisional Government No formal judicial system existed in the region prior to February 18, 1841, when settlers at the Champoeg Meetings, in their effort to form a Provisional Government, elected Babcock as Supreme Judge as well as four justices of the peace and a High Sheriff as minor executive position, while they failed to establish the introduction of a governor because of discontent by French-Canadian settlers. That meant that Babcock also acted as executive and law-maker until the establishment of an Executive Committee in 1843. Name Years Notes Ira Babcock February 18, 1841 – May 2, 1843 Elected at Champoeg Meetings to be the first Supreme Judge with probate powers, dealt with Ewing Young estate.Oregon Blue Book: Supreme Court Justices of Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 31, 2008.

Creation of the Provisional Government On May 2, 1843, the Provisional Government of Oregon was finally created through a narrow 52–50 vote under the English American and French Canadian settlers. This government constructed a judicial system headed by a single Supreme Judge. Name Years Notes Albert E. Wilson July 5, 1843 (elected) Elected at Champoeg Meetings, but declined to serve. Osborne Russell October 2, 1843 – May 14, 1844 Served as circuit judge and presiding judge Ira L. Babcock June 27, 1844 – November 11, 1844 Served as circuit judge and presiding judge James W. Nesmith December 25, 1844 – August 9, 1845 Appointed by Executive Committee before election in 1845, served as circuit judge and presiding judge. Nathaniel Ford August 9, 1845 (elected) Elected by Provisional Legislature, but declined to serve. Peter Hardeman Burnett September 6, 1845 – December 29, 1846 Elected by legislature as supreme judge. J. Quinn Thornton February 20, 1847 – November 9, 1847 Appointed by Governor George Abernethy as supreme judge. Columbia Lancaster November 30, 1847 – April 9, 1849 Appointed by Governor George Abernethy as supreme judge. Asa Lovejoy no record Elected by Provisional Legislature on February 16, 1849 as supreme judge.

Oregon Supreme Court

The Oregon Territory was created in 1848 by the United States Congress. Congress then created a three judge supreme court for the territory. In 1859, the territory became the state of Oregon, with the Oregon Supreme Court remaining, eventually expanded to seven justices.

Order Name Years on the CourtChief justice Notes 1. William P. Bryant 1848–18501848–1850 Appointed by U.S. President. 2. Orville C. Pratt 1848–1852 Appointed by U.S. President. 3. Thomas Nelson 1850–18531850–1853 Appointed by U.S. President. 4. William Strong 1850–1853 Appointed by U.S. President. 5. George Henry Williams 1853–18581853–1858 Appointed by U.S. President, 1853–1858. 6. Cyrus Olney 1853–1858 Appointed by U.S. President. 7. Matthew Deady 1853–1859 Appointed by U.S. President. 8. Obadiah B. McFadden 1853–1854 Appointed by U.S. President. 9. Reuben P. Boise 1858–1870, 1876–18801862–1864, 1867–1870 Appointed by U.S. President in 1858, elected in 1859, 1876. Appointed by Governor 1878. 1862–1864, 1867–1870. 10. Aaron E. Waite 1859–18621859–1862 Elected in 1858, 1859–1862. 11. Riley E. Stratton 1859–1866 Elected in 1858, died in office December 26, 1866. 12. Paine Page Prim 1859–18801864–1866, 1870–1872, 1876–1878 Appointed by Governor in 1859 and 1878, elected 1860, 1866, 1872. 1864–1866, 1870–1872, and 1876–1878. 13. William W. Page 1862 Appointed by Governor. 14. Erasmus D. Shattuck 1862–1867, 1874–18781866–1867 Elected in 1862, 1874. 1866–1867. 15. Joseph G. Wilson 1862–1870 Appointed by Governor in 1862, elected 1864. 16. Alonzo A. Skinner 1866–1867 Appointed by Governor in 1866. 17. William W. Upton 1867–18741872–1874 Appointed by Governor 1867, elected in 1868. 18. John Kelsay 1868–1870 Elected in 1868. 19. Benoni Whitten 1870 Appointed by Governor in 1870. 20. Lewis Linn McArthur 1870–1878 Elected in 1870 and 1876. 21. Andrew J. Thayer 1870–1873 Elected in 1870, died in office April 26, 1873. 22. Benjamin F. Bonham 1870–18761874–1876 Elected in 1870. 23. Lafayette F. Mosher 1873–1874 Appointed by Governor in May 1873. 24. John Burnett 1874–1876 Elected in 1874. 25. James F. Watson 1876–1878 Elected in 1876. 26. James Kerr Kelly 1878–18801878–1880 Appointed by Governor in 1878. 27. William Paine Lord 1880–18941880–1882, 1886–1888, 1892–1894 Elected in 1880, 1882, and 1888. 1880–1882, 1886–1888, and 1892–1894. 28. Edward B. Watson 1880–18841882–1884 Elected in 1880. 29. John B. Waldo 1880–18861884–1886 Elected in 1880. 30. William Wallace Thayer 1884–18901888–1890 Elected in 1884. 31. Reuben S. Strahan 1886–18921890–1892 Elected in 1886. 32. Robert S. Bean 1890–19091894–1896, 1900–1902, 1905–1909 Elected in 1890, 1896, 1902, 1908. 33. Frank A. Moore 1892–19181896–1898, 1902–1905, 1909–1911, 1915–1917 Elected in 1892, 1898, 1904, 1910, 1916. Died in office September 25, 1918. 34. Charles E. Wolverton 1894–19051898–1900, 1905 Elected in 1894 and 1900. 35. Thomas G. Hailey 1905–1907 Appointed by Governor in 1905. 36. Robert Eakin 1907–19171911–1913 Elected in 1906 and 1912. 37. William R. King 1909–1911 Appointed by Governor in 1909. 38. Woodson T. Slater 1909–1911 Appointed by Governor in 1909. 39. Thomas A. McBride 1909–19301913–1915, 1917–1921, 1923–1927 Appointed by Governor in 1909, elected in 1914, 1920, and 1926. Died in office September 9, 1930. 40. Henry J. Bean 1911–19411931–1933 1937–1939 Elected in 1910, 1914, 1920, 1926, 1932, and 1938. Died in office May 8, 1941. 41. George H. Burnett 1911–19271921–1923, 1927 Elected in 1910, 1916, and 1922. Died in office September 10, 1927. 42. Charles L. McNary 1913–1915 Appointed in 1913. 43. William Marion Ramsey 1913–1915 Appointed in 1913. 44. Henry L. Benson 1915–1921 Elected in 1914, 1920. Died in office October 16, 1921. 45. Lawrence T. Harris 1915–1924 Elected in 1914 and 1920. 46. Wallace McCamant 1917–1918 Appointed by Governor in 1917. 47. Charles A. Johns 1918–1921 Appointed by Governor in 1918. Elected in 1918. 48. Conrad P. Olson 1918–1919 Appointed by Governor in 1918. 49. Alfred S. Bennett 1919–1920 Elected in 1918. 50. George M. Brown 1920–1933 Appointed by Governor in 1920. Elected in 1920 and 1926. 51. John McCourt 1921–1924 Appointed by Governor in 1921. Elected in 1922. Died in office September 12, 1924. 52. John L. Rand 1921–19421927–1929, 1933–1935, 1939–1941 Appointed by Governor in 1921. Elected in 1922, 1928, 1934, and 1940. Died in office November 19, 1942. 53. Oliver P. Coshow 1924–19311929–1931 Appointed by Governor in 1924. Elected in 1924. 54. Martin L. Pipes 1924 Appointed by Governor in 1924. 55. Harry H. Belt 1925–19501945–1947 Elected in 1924, 1930, 1936, 1942, 1948. Died in office August 6, 1950. 56. George Rossman 1927–19651947–1949 Appointed by Governor in 1927. Elected in 1928, 1934, 1940, 1946, 1952, and 1958. 57. Percy R. Kelly 1930–19491941–1943 Appointed by Governor in 1930. Elected in 1930, 1936, 1942, and 1948. Died in office June 14, 1949. 58. James U. Campbell 1931–19371935–1937 Elected in 1930 and 1936.