This oral history interview with Edwin J. Peterson was conducted by Jeffrey C. Dobbins in Salem, Oregon, from August 21 to December 11, 2007, as part of the United States District Court of Oregon Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in thirteen sessions. Throughout the interview, Peterson refers to photographs and letters. Copies of some, but not all, of these items are included in the related U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society collection, Coll 560.

In the first interview session, conducted on August 21, 2007, Peterson discusses his family background in Gilmanton, Wisconsin, including the local creamery managed by his father; his childhood activities; and his early education. He also talks about his memories of rural life during World War II.

In the second interview session, conducted on August 28, 2007, Peterson continues to discuss his early life in Gilmanton, and his memories of life during World War II. He then discusses having asthma and moving to Oregon in 1944 in an effort to improve his health. He looks at photographs of his home and family in Gilmanton and discusses them.

In the third interview session, conducted on September 4, 2007, Peterson discusses his high school experience in Eugene, Oregon. He talks about studying music at the University of Oregon, including his social life and his summer activities.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on September 11, 2007, Peterson continues to discuss his college experiences at the University of Oregon, including his involvement with the Young Republicans. He describes his service as a personnel officer in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, particularly his experience in administration. He shares his memories of the Cold War.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on September 18, 2007, Peterson discusses attending the University of Oregon Law School. He talks about the dean, Orlando Hollis; his social life; and his summer jobs. He talks about relocating to Portland to practice law at Tooze, Kerr, Peterson, Marshall & Shenker.

In the sixth interview session, conducted on September 25, 2007, Peterson discusses practicing law in Portland. He speaks at length about cases he tried, about fellow lawyers, and about judges he argued before. He particularly focuses on trial preparation and procedures.

In the seventh interview session, conducted on October 9, 2007, Peterson speaks further about University of Oregon Law School Dean Orlando Hollis, then continues to discuss practicing law in Portland. He also talks about his involvement with the Oregon State Bar, and his friendship with Clay Myers.

In the eighth interview session, conducted on October 16, 2007, Peterson continues to discuss practicing law in Portland. He reflects on his career as a lawyer, talks about cases he worked on, and discusses settling out of court. He shares an anecdote about his appointment to the Oregon Supreme Court in 1979.

In the ninth interview session, conducted on October 23, 2007, Peterson discusses the procedures of the Multnomah County Circuit Court and the Oregon Court of Appeals, and talks about judges who served on those courts. He also shows the interviewer, Jeffrey Dobbins, his collection of photographs and speaks about them at length.

In the tenth interview session, conducted on October 30, 2007, Peterson continues to discuss his photograph collection. He then speaks about his service as a justice on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1979 to 1993. He describes his fellow justices on the court. He discusses the procedures of the Supreme Court, cases he heard, and his re-election in 1980.

In the eleventh interview session, conducted on November 6, 2007, Peterson continues to discuss his service as a justice on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1979 to 1993. He talks about serving as chief justice from 1983 to 1991, including implementing an integrated court system, the court's budget, and the court's staff. He reads entries from his journals detailing this part of his career.

In the twelfth interview session, conducted on November 13, 2007, Peterson continues to discuss his service as a justice on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1979 to 1993, and serving as chief justice from 1983 to 1991. He talks about implementing the uniform trial court rules. He also discusses the changes in technology, rules of professionalism, and diversity training. He reads additional entries from his journals detailing this part of his career.

In the thirteenth and final interview session, conducted on December 11, 2007, Peterson closes the interview by talking about his activities since retiring in 1993, including teaching at the Willamette University Law School and working as a mediator.

This oral history interview with Laurie Lockert was conducted by Lee Ann Phillips on July 26, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Lockert discusses her family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including the expectations her parents had, and her experience of accepting her identity as a lesbian. She shares her experience of coming out to her parents. She talks about her involvement with the lesbian community in Portland in the 1970s, and about playing tennis with other lesbians. She speaks about her early relationships with women, then talks about her marriage to Kathleen M. Roy and about raising a child. She closes the interview by discussing how the lesbian community in Portland changed, and by talking about the increasing visibility and acceptance of gays and lesbians in American society.

Watters discusses his early life in Vancouver, Washington, life as a young gay man in Portland, Oregon in the 1970s, his experiences during the AIDS epidemic while in San Francisco, California, and feeling the need to hide his sexual orientation to protect his career.

This oral history interview with Edward B. Segel was conducted by Lisa Brandt Heckman on May 22, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Segel shares his experience of accepting his sexuality as a gay man in the 1970s while on leave in London, England, and talks about his involvement in the St. Catherine's Society, a gay men's organization. He then speaks at length about his involvement in various LGBT organizations in Portland, after he accepted a professorship at Reed College in 1973, particularly the Portland Town Council and the Right to Privacy PAC. He speaks about several of the people also involved in those organizations, about the organizations' activism, and about some of the conflicts within those organizations. He also talks about his involvement with the Portland Gay Men's Chorus. He talks about the acceptance of the gay community in Portland, and how it has increased since the 1970s. He shares his opinion on gay marriage rights. He closes the interview by sharing his thoughts about religion.

This oral history interview with Gary Coleman and Steven Fulmer was conducted by R. Michael Sanchez on May 19, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Coleman and Fulmer discuss the origins of the Portland Gay Men's Chorus in 1980 and describe their first performances. They talk about the popularity of the chorus and about people who contributed time and resources to the chorus. They describe the organizational structure of the chorus, talk about how the chorus chose its repertoire, and discuss how the AIDS epidemic affected the chorus members. They talk about the Gay and Lesbian Arts Association, about the mission of the chorus, and about the chorus's role in the gay community of the Pacific Northwest. They discuss how the chorus has changed since 1980, talk about the challenges the chorus has faced, and speak about public reception of the chorus. They reflect on memorable moments and performances of the chorus, and close the interview by sharing their hopes and plans for its future.

This oral history interview with Jerry Weller was conducted by Libbey Austin at Weller's home in Portland, Oregon, on May 10, 2007. Austin conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Achives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Christa Orth's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The collection includes a transcript of the interview.

In this interview, Weller discusses his early life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, including his experiences as a young gay man at Penn State University. He talks about his relationship with Bruce Muller, describes how he became involved in the gay rights movement while living in the Bay Area, and discusses his reasons for moving to Portland in 1976. He discusses his involvement with the Portland Town Council, describes the anti-gay legislation that passed in many places in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, and talks about his involvement with the national gay rights movement. He discusses the development of the Portland Town Council, the Right to Privacy PAC, and other gay rights organizations he was involved in. He also talks about the development in the language regarding LGBTQ people. He talks about his experiences in Washington, D.C., and in Chicago, Illinois, and his return to Portland in the 1980s. He discusses his relationship with the Shepherd family; describes his experience with AIDS; and speaks about gay rights legislation he was involved with. He closes the interview by talking about the role gay bars and drag queens played in the gay rights movement, about the growth of gay pride events, and about his favorite gay bars in Portland.

This oral history interview with Lewis L. McArthur was conducted at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, by Eliza Canty-Jones on December 28, 2006. The interview was conducted as research for an article published in the Fall 2008 issue of Oregon Historical Quarterly. At the time of the interview, Canty-Jones' name was Eliza Elkins Jones.

In this interview, McArthur discusses his family background, particularly focusing on the family name of Lewis. He speaks at length about the career of his father, Lewis A. McArthur, and about his work on the early editions of the book "Oregon Geographic Names." He also describes traveling across Oregon with his father by train. He then discusses his service on the Oregon Geographic Names Board and talks about his own work on later editions of "Oregon Geographic Names." He describes how the process of publishing the book changed with developments in technology over the 20th century, talks about researching place names, and shares information about the origins of several Oregon place names. He talks about why he believes the history of place names is important, about the history of Oregon maps, and about the relationship between the two topics. He closes the interview by discussing his contributions to the Geographic Names Information System.

This oral history interview with John A. Jelderks was conducted by Donna Sinclair from December 19-27, 2006, and Jan Dilg from May 28 to September 16, 2009, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in five sessions. The first two sessions were recorded on audiocassette; Audiocassette 1 is missing, but its content is reflected in the interview transcript. The third and fourth sessions were recorded as digital audio files. The fifth session was recorded simultaneously as digital audio files and on videocassette; the audio files contain additional content.

In the first interview session, conducted on December 19, 2006, Jelderks discusses his family background and early life in Salem, Oregon, including his education, recreational activities, and summer jobs. He also shares his memories of life in Salem during World War II, including neighbors who fought in the war, and the U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese Americans.

In the second interview session, conducted on December 27, 2006, Jelderks discusses his experiences studying psychology and later law at Willamette University, including his involvement in a fraternity, his service in the Oregon Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and some of his law school professors and classmates. He shares his opinion on sentencing guidelines, discusses how the practice of law changed, and briefly talks about his first marriage and raising a family. He talks about his experience as a law clerk for Oregon Supreme Court Justice Gordon Sloan and about his relationship with other justices. He talks about his career as a district attorney for Marion and Hood River counties, and talks about some of the cases he prosecuted, including a rape case.

In the third interview session, conducted on May 28, 2009, Jelderks continues to discuss his service as Hood River County district attorney from 1966 to 1971. He describes some of the cases he prosecuted, then discusses working as a lawyer in a private practice in Hood River for a short time. He speaks about serving as a judge in Oregon's 7th judicial district. He describes the appointment process, discusses adjusting to a judge's workload, and talks about his re-election campaigns. He also discusses his unsuccessful 1988 campaign for a seat on the Oregon Supreme Court. He talks about cases he heard, particularly domestic relations cases, and about writing decisions.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on August 20, 2009, Jelderks continues to discuss serving as a judge in Oregon's 7th judicial district. He speaks at length about hearing cases regarding the Rajneeshees. He then revisits the topic of his unsuccessful campaign for a seat on the Oregon Supreme Court. He talks about the changes in his family during the 1970s and 1980s, including his second marriage, and the death of one of his children in a car collision.

In the fifth and final interview session, conducted on September 16, 2009, Jelderks discusses his involvement with the Hood River Rotary Club. He speaks at length about serving as a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon from 1991 to the time of the interview. He describes the appointment process, discusses the role of magistrate judges in Oregon, and talks about judges he worked with. He describes the differences between the state and federal courts, and speaks at length about his decision in the Kennewick Man case, which regarded the custody of ancient Native American remains. He closes the interview by sharing his thoughts on restorative justice, on the concept of judicial activism, and on electing judges.

This oral history interview with Caroline P. Stoel was conducted by Adair Law from October 30 to December 5, 2006. Along with the interview recordings, the collection includes an incomplete transcript.

In this interview, Stoel discusses her family background and early life in Lexington, North Carolina, including her early education and childhood friends. She talks about attending Duke University, including her social life. She then talks about her experience as one the few women attending the Duke University Law School. She also discusses meeting Thomas B. Stoel and their subsequent marriage. She describes the sexism she faced when trying to begin her legal career in Portland, Oregon. She talks about working and raising young children while Thomas Stoel was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. She discusses her involvement in her children's education in the Riverdale School District; her acquaintanceship with Richard Nixon; and her decision to return to college. She closes the interview by talking about her children, their careers, and their families.

This oral history interview with G. Bernhard Fedde was conducted by Eliza E. Canty-Jones in Beaverton, Oregon, on September 16, 2006. At the time of the interview, Canty-Jones' name was Eliza Elkins Jones. Fedde's wife, Johanna Borrevik, was also present during the interview and often contributed to Canty-Jones' questioning. Tape 1, Side 1 of the recording is an introduction to the interview, which begins on Tape 1, Side 2.

In the interview, Fedde discusses his family background and early life in Brooklyn, New York, including his memories of the Depression. He describes studying history at Williams College in Massachusetts, including a year he studied abroad in Munich, Germany. He talks about his experience as a conscientious objector during World War II. He speaks at length about heading the American section of the Quaker relief efforts in Germany after the war. He also talks about the creation of the Marshall Plan. He then discusses practicing law in Oregon, defending conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War, and judges he argued before. He also talks about a few summers he spent studying in The Hague, Netherlands. He discusses his work with the Scandinavian community, teaching Scandinavian history at Portland State University, and meeting King Olav V of Norway in 1977. He also tells the story of meeting his wife, Johanna Borrevik. He closes the interview by sharing his thoughts about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

This interview with Alfred Goodwin was conducted by Michael O'Rourke at Goodwin's home in Sisters, Oregon, on August 26, 2006. In the interview, Goodwin discusses some of the topics that often come before the U.S. District Court, including immigration, fishing rights, and environmental law. He also discusses national legislation regarding terrorism; proposals to split the Ninth Circuit; technology in the court; and the War on Drugs. He closes the interview by talking about his personal life and family background.

This oral history interview with John L. Schwabe was conducted by Gregory J. Miner from July 25 to September 15, 2006. The audio is incomplete; Tape 1 has been missing since 2015.

In this interview, Schwabe discusses some of the cases he worked on as a lawyer in Portland, Oregon; his involvement in various Portland civic organizations; and other Portland lawyers. He also talks about the buildings in which his law firm, Schwabe, Williamson, and Wyatt, was located; his love of fishing; and his children, their careers, and their families.

Schwabe discusses his early law career in Silverton, Oregon, and how he relocated to practice law in Portland in 1952. He talks about working as a trial lawyer, working on condemnation cases, and his involvement in urban renewal efforts in Portland. He talks about work he did in Nevada and Georgia, as well as his longtime friendship with President Jimmy Carter, whom he met when Carter was a Georgia state senator. He talks about lawyers he worked with, including Wendell Wyatt, and their subsequent careers. He closes the interview by talking about his favorite fishing spot.

This oral history interview with Donal D. Sullivan was conducted by Michael O'Rourke in Sullivan's chambers at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Portland, Oregon, on July 6, 2006. In the interview, Sullivan discusses his early career as a lawyer in Salem, and as assistant district attorney with Sid Lezak in the Multnomah County district attorney's office in Portland, then as a clerk for the U.S. District Court of Oregon. He describes working with judges Gus Solomon and William East. Sullivan also talks about serving as a bankruptcy judge. He closes the interview by talking about his personal life and family.

This oral history interview with Otto Skopil was conducted by Clark Hansen at the U.S. District Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, on June 21, 2006, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. The interview was recorded simultaneously on audiocassette and videocassette; Videocassette 1 corresponds to Audiocassette 1, and Videocassette 2 corresponds to Audiocassette 2. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Skopil briefly discusses his family background, his early life in Salem, and his experiences at Willamette University and in the Navy. He speaks about practicing law in Salem, including some of the cases he worked on, and arguing cases before Judge Gus Solomon. He discusses his service as a judge, and later as chief judge, on the U.S. District Court of Oregon, including some of the cases he heard, and talks about his role in the development of the court's magistrate judge system. He discusses his 1979 appointment to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and talks about his service as a judge on that court from 1979 to the time of the interview. He shares some of the cases he heard, talks about the reasons for the court's large workload, and discusses the court's role as an interpreter of federal law. He talks about dissenting opinions among the judges, about calls to split the Ninth Circuit, and about working with law clerks. He speaks about his involvement with the Federal Courts Study Committee. He closes the interview by reflecting on his judicial career.

This oral history interview with Jerry C. Harris was conducted by Mary Ann DeLap on May 17, 2006. In this interview, Harris discusses coming to Portland, Oregon, from Colorado to meet his future wife, Zola M. Barnes. He talks about working as a court reporter for the Multnomah County courts and his experience as the only black court reporter for the county. He discusses moving to the federal court system and working for U.S. District Court Judge Gus Solomon. He also talks about working for other judges on the U.S. District Court of Oregon. He discusses the discrimination he's faced, his retirement activities, and some of the lawyers he worked with. He describes the process of court reporting, as well as how technology has changed the profession.

This oral history interview with Jacque Jurkins was conducted by Mary Ellen Smith at the Multnomah Law Library in Portland, Oregon, from February 23, 2006, to April 13, 2007. In this interview, Jurkins discusses her early life and high school experience in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She then talks about attending the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh and the discouragement she received from professors when she expressed her desire to become a lawyer. She speaks about studying law at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, including her experience as one of only a few women in the law school, her social life, and some of her professors. She also describes the events that led her to working in the university's law library. She talks about her decision to go to library school and pursue a career as a law librarian. She discusses studying law librarianship at the University of Washington, including her primary professor, Marian Gallagher; her fellow students; and working in the university's library. She then talks about working at the University of Washington law library, helping to establish the Pacific Rim Library, and her experience reorganizing the Colorado Supreme Court Library.

Jurkins discusses coming to Portland, Oregon, in 1964 to head the Multnomah Law Library. She talks about the disarray in which she found the library and her work reorganizing it. She describes providing organizational help for many other law libraries in Oregon. She discusses the expansion of the law library, the different buildings it has occupied, and her staff. She talks about the changes in information technology and how that has affected her library work, as well as the use of the library. She talks about the increased security at the library and courthouses as a result of shootings. She discusses some of the lawyers, judges, and politicians who patronized the library; setting up a library at the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College; and her role in the foundation of the Oregon Council of Law Libraries. She discusses teaching classes on legal research at Portland Community College, as well as her involvement with the Multnomah County Bar Association and the American Association of Law Libraries. She closes the interview by talking about her hobbies.

This oral history interview with James A. Redden was conducted by Michael O'Rourke in Redden's chambers at the U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, on January 27, 2006. In this interview, Redden discusses cases during his time as Oregon attorney general and as a U.S. District Court judge, including some involving treaties with Native Americans and fishing rights on the Columbia River, as well as the effects of the dams on salmon runs and other fisheries. He also discusses the history and impact of the U.S. District Court Historical Society; the war on terror, particularly the Patriot Act; and drug-related cases.

This interview with Owen Panner was conducted by Michael O'Rourke in Portland, Oregon, on December 19, 2005. In the interview, Panner discusses mandatory sentencing and the effect of politics on the judiciary. He also talks about his plan to move to the District Court in Medford, Oregon. In addition, he discusses the structure and procedures of the District Court; technology in the courts; his involvement with the U.S. District Court Historical Society; and life on his Medford ranch.

This oral history interview with Ancer L. Haggerty was conducted by Clark Hansen in Haggerty's chambers at the U.S. District Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, in four sessions from December 9, 2005, to February 23, 2006. Interview sessions in December 2005, part of a session in January 2006, and the session in February 2006 were recorded on audiocassette. The other part of the session in January 2006 was recorded on videocassette.

In the December 2005 and January 2006 sessions recorded on audiocassette, Haggerty discusses his family background and early life in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Portland, including his involvement in high school football. He talks about attending the University of Oregon, his views on the Vietnam War, and joining the Marine Corps. He discusses his military training, being wounded in Vietnam in 1968, and his rehabilitation. He also discusses some of the politics contemporary to the interview session in 2005. He talks about attending the U.C. Hastings College of the Law and taking the Oregon bar exam in 1973.

Haggerty speaks about his legal career, beginning with a brief discussion of his work as a public defender for the Metropolitan Public Defender in Portland from 1973 to 1977. He then talks about working as a lawyer with Schwabe, Williamson, and Wyatt from 1977 to 1989. He discusses his marriage to Judith Ann Blair in 1983, and their children. He talks about serving as a judge on the Multnomah County Circuit Court from 1990 to 1993, including his appointment by Governor Neil Goldschmidt, some of the cases he heard, and his re-election campaign. He then talks about serving as a judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon from 1993 to the time of the interview in 2006. He talks about his nomination by President Bill Clinton.

In the January 2006 video recording, Haggerty revisits the topic of his family background and early life in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Portland, his interest in playing football, and his service in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He then speaks in more detail about his college experience at U.C. Hastings College of the Law; his work as a public defender in Portland; and practicing law at Schwabe, Williamson, and Wyatt. He also talks about serving as a judge on the Multnomah County Circuit Court and describes his experience as a judge on the Tom Metzger case, as well as other cases he heard. He then discusses serving as a judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon, including his fellow judges, writing opinions, and serving as chief judge. He closes the video session by discussing his judicial philosophy.

In the final, audio-only interview session in February 2006, Haggerty discusses his early years as a judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon, his relationship with his fellow District Court judges and other court employees, and the role of the court. He talks about some of the cases he heard, his staff, and serving as chief judge from 2002 until the time of the interview in 2006. He also discusses writing opinions, funding for the courts, and the make-up of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006. He talks about the public opinion of the U.S. District Court of Oregon, jury trials, and sentencing. He talks about national politics between 2000 and 2006. He closes the interview by reflecting on his career and accomplishments.