Owen M. Panner
Encyclopedia
Owen Murphy Panner is an American
attorney and jurist from Oregon
. A native of Illinois
, he has served on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
since 1980, and was chief judge of the court from 1984 to 1990. He is currently a senior judge on the court.
where Panner grew up in the town of Whizbang
. His father worked in the oil fields as Owen grew up in the Great Depression
and Dust Bowl
. In his youth, he was an amateur golfer, and won several titles. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma
, but left after two years in 1943 to join the United States Army
and the war effort, serving from 1943 to 1946.
In the Army, he received an engineering education at West Virginia University
before more schooling for the Transportation. Panner was then stationed in Los Angeles, California
, where he worked on the docks coordinating shipments and where he met his first wife Agnes. They would marry and have their first child in 1946. The family was transferred to New York City
where Panner coordinated shipments to Europe after the end of World War II
. After his discharge, he was allowed to enter law school
at the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Laws
degree.
, that Central Oregon
was a scenic place to live, and the family moved there in 1949. In 1950, he entered private legal practice in Bend, Oregon
, where he would remain until 1980. From 1971 to 1974 he was on the Judicial Reform Commission of Oregon. While in Bend he worked for a variety of clients, including as general counsel for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
. Due to his work for the tribe, he was offered, but declined, the position of Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
under President John F. Kennedy
. A trial lawyer, he became a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
and was named trial attorney of the year in 1973 for Oregon by the American Board of Trial Advocates. Panner was also vice president of the Oregon State Bar
and a member of the board of governors of the organization from 1961 to 1963, as well as president of the Central Oregon chapter.
On December 3, 1979, U.S. President Jimmy Carter
nominated Panner for a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
after judge Otto R. Skopil, Jr. was elevated to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Panner was confirmed by the United States Senate
on February 20, 1980, and received his federal commission that same day. Judges Helen J. Frye
and James A. Redden
also joined the court that same year. He served as chief judge for the court from 1984 to 1990, and then became a senior judge for the court on July 28, 1992. In 1987, he was named Lewis & Clark Law School
’s distinguished honorary alumni.
, a former president of the Bend Chamber of Commerce, and a past president of the Oregon Historical Society
. He lives in Medford
and presides at the James A. Redden United States Courthouse.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and jurist from Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, he has served on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
The United States District Court for the District of Oregon is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the state was admitted to the Union...
since 1980, and was chief judge of the court from 1984 to 1990. He is currently a senior judge on the court.
Early life
Owen Panner was born in Chicago, Illinois, in July 1924 to a geologist father. The family, which included two sisters, moved to OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
where Panner grew up in the town of Whizbang
Whizbang, Oklahoma
Whizbang, officially called Denoya, Oklahoma, was an Oklahoma petroleum boom town in the 1920s and 1930s. Located in Osage County 1.5 miles north and 1.5 miles west of the present town of Shidler, The Whizbang area at its peak had a population of 10,000 persons and 300 businesses and was considered...
. His father worked in the oil fields as Owen grew up in the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
. In his youth, he was an amateur golfer, and won several titles. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, but left after two years in 1943 to join the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the war effort, serving from 1943 to 1946.
In the Army, he received an engineering education at West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
before more schooling for the Transportation. Panner was then stationed in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he worked on the docks coordinating shipments and where he met his first wife Agnes. They would marry and have their first child in 1946. The family was transferred to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where Panner coordinated shipments to Europe after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After his discharge, he was allowed to enter law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
at the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree.
Legal career
Panner heard from a classmate’s uncle, judge Claude C. McCollochClaude C. McColloch
Claude Charles McColloch was an American attorney and judge in Oregon. A native of California, he served as a federal district court judge in Portland, Oregon, including four years as the courts chief judge...
, that Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...
was a scenic place to live, and the family moved there in 1949. In 1950, he entered private legal practice in Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
, where he would remain until 1980. From 1971 to 1974 he was on the Judicial Reform Commission of Oregon. While in Bend he worked for a variety of clients, including as general counsel for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is a federally recognized confederation of Native American Tribes who currently live on and govern the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in the U.S...
. Due to his work for the tribe, he was offered, but declined, the position of Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
under President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. A trial lawyer, he became a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
and was named trial attorney of the year in 1973 for Oregon by the American Board of Trial Advocates. Panner was also vice president of the Oregon State Bar
Oregon State Bar
The Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession. The public corporation is part of the Oregon Judicial Department...
and a member of the board of governors of the organization from 1961 to 1963, as well as president of the Central Oregon chapter.
On December 3, 1979, U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
nominated Panner for a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
The United States District Court for the District of Oregon is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the state was admitted to the Union...
after judge Otto R. Skopil, Jr. was elevated to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Panner was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on February 20, 1980, and received his federal commission that same day. Judges Helen J. Frye
Helen J. Frye
Helen Jackson Frye was an American judge and attorney in the state of Oregon. Born in Southern Oregon, she served as an active federal district court judge in Portland, Oregon, for 15 years and as a judge for the Oregon Circuit Court for nine years...
and James A. Redden
James A. Redden
James Anthony "Jim" Redden Jr. is a judge and politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. Since 1980, he has served as a Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon...
also joined the court that same year. He served as chief judge for the court from 1984 to 1990, and then became a senior judge for the court on July 28, 1992. In 1987, he was named Lewis & Clark Law School
Lewis & Clark Law School
Lewis and Clark Law School is a private American law school located in Portland, Oregon. In the last ten years, L&C's Environmental Law program has been the highest-rated in the United States eight times....
’s distinguished honorary alumni.
Later years
Since assuming senior status, he continues to work for the court on a reduced schedule, and sits in on federal Court of Appeals cases. The Oregon State Bar's litigation section presents an annual award for professionalism in honor of Panner. He had four children and later remarried to Nancy. Panner is a trustee of Lewis & Clark CollegeLewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a private institution of higher learning located in Portland, Oregon. Made up of an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, a School of Law, and a Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Lewis & Clark is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges with athletic...
, a former president of the Bend Chamber of Commerce, and a past president of the Oregon Historical Society
Oregon Historical Society
The Oregon Historical Society is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preserves, and makes available materials of historical character...
. He lives in Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
and presides at the James A. Redden United States Courthouse.