Robert E. Jones (judge)

Jones was born in Portland, Oregon on July 5, 1927.{{cite book|last = Baun|first = Carolyn|title = The First duty: a history of the U.S. District Court for Oregon|publisher = U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society|year = 1993|page = 285|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tTRFAQAAIAAJ&q=Robert+Edward+Jones+July+5,+1927|isbn = 0963515608}}{{FJC Bio|nid=1382946|inline=yes}} There he attended Grant High School.{{cite news |last1=Bernstein |first1=Maxine |title=Federal Judge Robert E. Jones ends his courtroom career at age 95 after 59 years on the bench |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/10/federal-judge-robert-e-jones-ends-his-courtroom-career-at-age-95-after-59-years-on-the-bench.html |access-date=3 October 2022 |work=The Oregonian/OregonLive |date=3 October 2022 |language=en}} After high school, Jones joined the United States Naval Reserve and attended the University of Hawaiʻi where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. He then enrolled at the Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland where he graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Laws. While in the Naval Reserve he served in the Judge Advocate General Corps from 1949 to 1987.

Jones died on March 29, 2025, at the age of 97.

After law school Jones entered private legal practice in Portland where he remained until 1963. In 1963, he entered politics when he served in the Oregon House of Representatives as a Republican representing Portland.[http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785332 Oregon Legislature: 1963 Regular Session.] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 25, 2008. He resigned, however, before the special session held later that year.[http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785332 Oregon Legislature: 1963 Special Session.] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 25, 2008. Jones resigned in order to become a circuit judge in Multnomah County, where he remained until 1982.

On December 16, 1982, Jones was appointed by Oregon Governor Victor G. Atiyeh to the Oregon Supreme Court.[https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/Pages/records/governors_guides.aspx Oregon State Archives: Oregon 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. He replaced Jacob Tanzer who had resigned. One of the most notable cases Jones authored the opinion in was State v. Henry, which declared unconstitutional all Oregon obscenity laws then binding. Jones served on Oregon's highest court until April 30, 1990, when he resigned.

On February 20, 1990, Jones was nominated to become a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon by President George H. W. Bush to replace Judge James M. Burns. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 27 and then received his federal commission on April 30, 1990. Jones took senior status on May 1, 2000.

As a federal judge, he upheld Oregon's Assisted Suicide law against a federal challenge in April 2002.[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/04/17/oregon.assisted.suicide/ Federal judge upholds Oregon assisted-suicide law.] CNN.com. April 17, 2002. Retrieved on February 1, 2008. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft had challenged the law based on federal laws concerning controlled substances. In 2003,[http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2003/April/03_crm_259.htm Oregon resident Maher Hawash charged in 'Portland Six' conspiracy.] U.S. Dept. of Justice. Retrieved on February 1, 2008. to 2004 he was the presiding judge of the case involving Mike Hawash of the Portland Seven in which Hawash received a seven-year sentence for conspiring to fight in Afghanistan for the Taliban against United States forces.Ben Jacklet and Janine Robben. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061114182314/http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=22979 Hawash regrets 'worst decision'.] Portland Tribune, April 10, 2004. Retrieved on February 1, 2008. Then in 2005, he ruled against the Bush administration in their efforts to reduce protection of gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act.Mulford, Tanya. [http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/wildlife_news/wolves_win_federal_judge_upholds_endangered_species_act_protections.html Wolves Win: Federal Judge Upholds Endangered Species Act Protections.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930200923/http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/wildlife_news/wolves_win_federal_judge_upholds_endangered_species_act_protections.html |date=2007-09-30}} The Humane Society of the United States. Retrieved on February 1, 2008.

Jones was a former president of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, an adjunct member of the Lewis & Clark Law School faculty, part of the National Judicial College, and a faculty member of the American Academy of Judicial Education.[http://www.ruttergroup.com/fcteaut.htm Federal Civil Trials and Evidence.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310232906/http://www.ruttergroup.com/fcteaut.htm |date=2007-03-10}} The Rutter Group. Retrieved on February 1, 2008.

{{Reflist}}

• {{FJC Bio|nid=1382946}}
• [http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/1997/A/199700938.html OHSU Scientist Makes Recommendations To Improve Expert Testimony In The Courtroom]
• [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3805/is_199906/ai_n8857533 Mass tort litigation and inquisitorial justice]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929225733/http://www.thetribonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=18381 Portland Tribune: Terror judge: Bring on the big questions]

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{{s-legal}}

{{s-bef|before=James M. Burns}}

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon}}|years=1990–2000}}

{{s-aft|after=Michael W. Mosman}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Robert E.}}

Category:1927 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:21st-century American judges

Category:Grant High School (Portland, Oregon) alumni

Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon

Category:Justices of the Oregon Supreme Court

Category:Lawyers from Portland, Oregon

Category:Lewis & Clark Law School alumni

Category:Members of the Oregon House of Representatives

Category:Oregon state court judges

Category:United States district court judges appointed by George H. W. Bush

Category:United States Navy officers

Category:University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni

Category:United States Navy reservists

Category:United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps