Martha Lee Walters

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Martha Lee Walters
98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
Incumbent
Assumed office 
October 9, 2006
Appointed by Ted Kulongoski
Preceded by R. William Riggs
Born 1950
Spouse John VanLandingham IV

Martha Lee Walters (b. 1950) is an American labor attorney and judge in the state of Oregon. As of 2008, she is the 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. She became the first female justice on the state's highest court in three years when she was appointed in 2006. A native of Michigan, she worked on the Casey Martin lawsuit against the PGA Tour while in private legal practice.

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[edit] Early years

Born in 1950, Walters grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[1] After high school she attended the University of Michigan, where she graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of arts degree.[1] Walters earned her law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law in Eugene, Oregon, graduating in 1977 with her Juris Doctor and earning Order of the Coif.[2] Walters is married to John VanLandingham IV,[3] a low-income housing advocate and mobile home-housing specialist.[4] The couple has two children, John VanLandingham V, a graduate of the University of Chicago, and Cassady Walters, a student at Whitman College.

[edit] Legal career

Justice Walters was the founder and president of the Eugene law firm of Walters, Chanti & Zennache.[2] In 1998, she was given the Public Justice Award by the Oregon Trial Lawyers.[2] She served as a delegate to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and as a member of the American Law Institute.[2] While in private practice she represented golfer Casey Martin in his lawsuit against the PGA Tour in order to allow the disabled Martin to use a golf cart while playing on the tour.[5]

She was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and was sworn into office on October 9, 2006, to replace Justice R. William Riggs who had retired.[6] Her term expires in January 2009, as such she will be up for election in 2008.[7] Walters was the first female justice on the court since 2003 when Susan M. Leeson left the court.[8] A specialist in employment and labor law, she was 55 years-old when appointed.[9] In 2007, Walters was elected as the president of the Uniform Law Commission, becoming that organization's first female president.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Honorable Martha L. Walters. Oregon Judicial Department. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Class Notes. 'Oregon Lawyer'. University of Oregon School of Law. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
  3. ^ Taking her seat; Courts. The Register-Guard, October 10, 2006.
  4. ^ Upcoming CDC Events. Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
  5. ^ a b Martha Walters Elected President of ULC. Uniform Law Commission. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  6. ^ Governor appoints Oregon Supreme Court justice. Portland Business Journal (September 18, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
  7. ^ Members of the Oregon Supreme Court. Oregon Blue Book. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  8. ^ Oregon Supreme Court Justices. 'Oregon Blue Book'. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
  9. ^ Green Ashbel. Labor lawyer joins state's high court. The Oregonian, September 19, 2006.

[edit] External links

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