Thomas Balmer
| Thomas Balmer | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| Oregon Supreme Court | |
| Title: | Chief justice |
| Service: | |
| Appointed by: | John Kitzhaber |
| Active: | 2001 - present |
| Chief: | 2012 - present |
| Preceded by: | Paul DeMuniz |
| Past post: | private practice |
| Personal History | |
| Bachelors: | Oberlin College, 1974 |
| Law School: | University of Chicago Law School, 1977 |
Contents |
Thomas Balmer is the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. He was sworn in on May 1, 2012 when former Chief Justice Paul De Muniz stepped down. [1][2][3]
Federal judgeship nomination
Judge Balmer is one of five recommendations made by Senator Ron Wyden to President Obama for a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. [4]
Education
Balmer received his B.A. from Oberlin College in 1974 and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1977. [5]
Career
After graduating from law school, Balmer went into private practice. After two years, he became a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. After serving in this capacity from 1979 to 1980, he went back into private practice. In 1993, he became Deputy Attorney General for the state of Oregon. After four years, he went back into private practice, which he continued until he joined the Oregon Supreme Court in 2001. Balmer has also served as an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark College. [6] Balmer was an associate justice (holding Position 1) of the Oregon Supreme Court, a position to which he was initially appointed on September 20, 2001 by then-Gov. John Kitzhaber, a Democrat. [7]
Elections
Balmer ran unopposed on May 21, 2002[8] in the retention election to hold his seat. He was also retained on May 20, 2008[9].
Political affiliation
Per his "Follow the Money" pages, Balmer has made multiple contributions to the Democratic Party over the years.[10][11][12] According to state law, candidates running for the Oregon Supreme Court are listed as "non-partisan."
Campaign Contributions
In his 2002 election bid, Balmer raised $43,259, $25,851 of which came from lawyers and lobbyists.[13]
Opinions
- Justice Balmer wrote the unanimous opinion in a 2005 [State of Oregon v. Travis Lee Gibson, (TC 200005422) (SC S48323)] case that affirmed the judgment of conviction and sentencing of death by trial courts against Travis Lee Gibson.[14]
See also
- News: New chief justice on the Oregon Supreme Court, May 6, 2012
External links
- Oregon Judicial Department, The Honorable Thomas A. Balmer
- Oregon Blue Book list of Oregon Supreme Court justices
- Project Vote Smart, Associate Justice Thomas A. Balmer (OR)
- Oregon Live, "Oregon Supreme Court says no warrant needed for school drug searches", June 10, 2010
- OregonLive.com, "State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Balmer to become Oregon's next chief justice," January 20, 2012
References
- ↑ Statesman Journal, "State's supreme court gets new chief justice," May. 1, 2012
- ↑ OregonLive.com, "State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Balmer to become Oregon's next chief justice," January 20, 2012
- ↑ Press Release, "Justice Thomas Balmer Elected as Next Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice," January 20, 2012
- ↑ The Oregonian "Five men named finalists for Oregon federal judgeships" July 16, 2009
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, Associate Justice Thomas A. Balmer (OR)
- ↑ Oregon Judicial Department, The Honorable Thomas A. Balmer
- ↑ Constitution Project: Choosing Oregon's Judges
- ↑ 2002 election results
- ↑ 2008 election results
- ↑ 2002 Contributions
- ↑ 2000 Contributions
- ↑ 1990 Contributions
- ↑ 2002 Campaign Finances
- ↑ Oregon Judicial Department News
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|---|---|---|---|
| Current |
Thomas Balmer • Martha Walters • Rives Kistler • Virginia Linder • David V. Brewer • Jack Landau • Richard C. Baldwin • | ||
| Former | Robert Durham • Paul DeMuniz • Michael Gillette • Betty C. Roberts • | ||
