Susan P. Graber

Susan Pia Graber (born July 5, 1949) is an American attorney and jurist. She is currently a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. A native of Oklahoma, she previously was the 90th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, and served on the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Early life

Susan Graber was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 5, 1949.^[1][2] After high school Graber attended Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.^[1] She graduated from Wellesley with a Bachelor of Arts in 1969.^[1] Susan Graber then went on to law school at Yale where she earned her Juris Doctor in 1972.^[1] At Yale she was classmates with Hillary Rodham (now Clinton) and Bill Clinton.^[3]

Legal career

Upon graduation Graber became an assistant attorney general for the New Mexico Bureau of Revenue where she continued until 1974.^[1] That year she entered private law practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico until 1975.^[1] In 1975 she moved to Ohio where she returned to private practice, this time in Cincinnati, Ohio until 1978.^[1] Then in 1978 Graber moved to Portland, Oregon where she became an associate at Stoel Rives Boley Jones and Grey (now Stoel Rives LLP).^[1][4] In 1981 she became a partner.^[1]

Judicial career

Graber began her career as a judge when she was selected to serve as a state district court judge in 1983 on a temporary basis, remaining until 1988.^[4] She was also a mediator for the U.S. District Court from 1986 to 1988.^[4] In 1986, the Northwest Women’s Law Center gave her their Founder’s Award.^[4] Next, Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt appointed her to the Oregon Court of Appeals. She was appointed on February 11, 1988 to replace judge Thomas F. Young who had died in office. Susan Graber served on the court of appeals until May 2, 1990 when she resigned her position.^[5] While on the bench she served as president of the Oregon Appellate Judges Association.^[4]

On May 2, 1990, Graber was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court to replace Robert E. Jones by Governor Goldschmidt.^[6][7] However, Jones, prior to resigning his position, filed for re-election and won the election.^[6] Thus Jones resigned a second time and Goldschmidt appointed Graber a second time on January 7, 1991.^[6] She became the second woman to serve on that court, following Betty Roberts.^[3] Graber then won election to a full six-year term in 1992, but resigned on April 1, 1998, before the term expired.^[6] While on the court she was considered to be a candidate for appointment to the United States Supreme Court.^[3]

Graber resigned because on July 30, 1997, President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to replace Edward Leavy who assumed senior judge status.^[1] She was subsequently confirmed by the United States Senate in a 98-0 vote on March 17, 1998 and received her commission two days later.^[1] With her appointment she became the first female judge to serve on that court from the state of Oregon.^[8] In 1998, the Northwest Women’s Law Center named her Legal Citizen of the Year, and in 2001 she received the For Country Award from Yale University. Graber was selected to be chairperson of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Appellate Practice in 2001.^[9]

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