Paul De Muniz
Encyclopedia
Paul J. De Muniz is an American
judge in the state of Oregon
. He is the first Hispanic
Chief Justice in the history of the Oregon Supreme Court
. He was elected to the court in 2000, and elected as Chief Justice in 2006. He won re-election in May 2006 for another six-year term on the state's highest court. De Muniz previously served on the Oregon Court of Appeals
for ten years.
, De Muniz’s family lived there until Paul turned six when the family relocated to Portland, Oregon
.
In Portland, he attended Harvey Scott Elementary in the Roseway Neighborhood
and graduated from Madison High School
in Northeast Portland. After graduating from high school in 1965 De Muniz served time in the Air Force
, including time in Vietnam
during the war
.
De Muniz enrolled at Portland State University
, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1972. He completed his education in 1975 after graduating from Willamette University College of Law
in Salem
with a JD
. At Willamette he was an associate editor of the school's law review
publication.
and later as a special prosecutor for Douglas County, Oregon
. He also was in private practice in Salem at the firm of Garrett, Seideman, Hemann, Robertson & De Muniz. While in private practice, De Muniz was the primary attorney responsible for working to overturn the conviction of Santiago Ventura Morales
’ murder conviction. Morales, a migrant farm worker from Mexico
, was convicted in 1986 of killing a fellow farm worker. He was only given a Spanish interpreter to assist in the language barrier, however his primary language was Mixtec. On appeal it was shown that Morales was not the killer and he was released in a national watched incident. After release Morales was given a scholarship
to the University of Portland
and graduated with a degree in social work.
In 1990, De Muniz was appointed to Oregon Court of Appeals
by Oregon's governor, and then won election to a full six-year term on the court in November of that year. He served on the Court of Appeals from 1990 to 2000, when in 2000 he was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court to fill an open seat on the court vacated when George Van Hoomissen
retired. De Muniz' term began in 2001 when he became the state's first Latino Supreme Court justice, and in 2006 he was elected Chief Justice. Upon joining the court, he became the first Latino member in the court’s history. In November 2005, he was unanimously elected by his fellow court members to a six-year term as chief justice to replace Wallace P. Carson, Jr.
who vacated the top position on the court. De Muniz announced in October 2011 that he would not run for re-election in 2012 and would leave at the end of his term in January 2013.
where he was mentor of the year in 1997. He previously taught at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada
. He is married to Mary and has three children; Carrie, Peter and Michael. De Muniz has chaired the Sakhalin/Oregon Rule of Law partnership and served on the Judicial Fitness and Disability Commission, the Oregon State Bar
's Board of Bar Examiners, the Supreme Court Access to Justice for All Committee, and the Oregon Criminal Justice Council.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
judge in the state of 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...
. He is the first Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
Chief Justice in the history of the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
. He was elected to the court in 2000, and elected as Chief Justice in 2006. He won re-election in May 2006 for another six-year term on the state's highest court. De Muniz previously served on the Oregon Court of Appeals
Oregon Court of Appeals
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has ten judges and is located in Salem...
for ten years.
Early life
Born in June 1947, in Glendale, CaliforniaGlendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, De Muniz’s family lived there until Paul turned six when the family relocated to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
In Portland, he attended Harvey Scott Elementary in the Roseway Neighborhood
Roseway, Portland, Oregon
Roseway is a neighborhood in the Northeast section of Portland, Oregon. It is bordered by the neighborhoods Cully to the north and west, Sumner to the northeast, Madison South to the east and south, and Rose City Park to the west....
and graduated from Madison High School
Madison High School
Madison is a name for several high schools in North America, including:James Madison High School Dallas Texas*Madison Area Memorial High School, Madison, Maine*Madison County High School , Gurley, Alabama*Madison High School , Rexburg, Idaho...
in Northeast Portland. After graduating from high school in 1965 De Muniz served time in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, including time in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
De Muniz enrolled at Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1972. He completed his education in 1975 after graduating from Willamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law is a private law school located in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1842, Willamette University is the oldest university in the Western United States...
in Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
with a JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
. At Willamette he was an associate editor of the school's law review
Law review
A law review is a scholarly journal focusing on legal issues, normally published by an organization of students at a law school or through a bar association...
publication.
Legal career
After law school, De Muniz began a public legal career as a state deputy public defenderPublic defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
and later as a special prosecutor for Douglas County, Oregon
Douglas County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Crater Lake National Park * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Siuslaw National Forest * Umpqua National Forest * Willamette National Forest -Adjacent counties:* Lane County, Oregon -...
. He also was in private practice in Salem at the firm of Garrett, Seideman, Hemann, Robertson & De Muniz. While in private practice, De Muniz was the primary attorney responsible for working to overturn the conviction of Santiago Ventura Morales
Santiago Ventura Morales
Santiago Ventura Morales is a social worker in the state of Oregon. Born in Mexico, he was falsely convicted of murder in Oregon in 1986. The conviction drew national attention when some jurors worked to overturn the conviction, and he was released from prison in 1991...
’ murder conviction. Morales, a migrant farm worker from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, was convicted in 1986 of killing a fellow farm worker. He was only given a Spanish interpreter to assist in the language barrier, however his primary language was Mixtec. On appeal it was shown that Morales was not the killer and he was released in a national watched incident. After release Morales was given a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to the University of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
and graduated with a degree in social work.
In 1990, De Muniz was appointed to Oregon Court of Appeals
Oregon Court of Appeals
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has ten judges and is located in Salem...
by Oregon's governor, and then won election to a full six-year term on the court in November of that year. He served on the Court of Appeals from 1990 to 2000, when in 2000 he was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court to fill an open seat on the court vacated when George Van Hoomissen
George Van Hoomissen
George Albert Van Hoomissen is an American attorney in the state of Oregon, United States. He previously served as the 87th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court and served on the Oregon Court of Appeals...
retired. De Muniz' term began in 2001 when he became the state's first Latino Supreme Court justice, and in 2006 he was elected Chief Justice. Upon joining the court, he became the first Latino member in the court’s history. In November 2005, he was unanimously elected by his fellow court members to a six-year term as chief justice to replace Wallace P. Carson, Jr.
Wallace P. Carson, Jr.
Wallace P. Carson, Jr. is an American attorney and politician from Oregon. He has spent time in both of Oregon’s legislative branches and served on the Oregon Supreme Court for 24 years. Carson served for 14 years as Chief Justice of the court, which is the longest of any previous Chief Justice on...
who vacated the top position on the court. De Muniz announced in October 2011 that he would not run for re-election in 2012 and would leave at the end of his term in January 2013.
Other
Paul De Muniz is an adjunct professor of law at Willamette University College of LawWillamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law is a private law school located in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1842, Willamette University is the oldest university in the Western United States...
where he was mentor of the year in 1997. He previously taught at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. He is married to Mary and has three children; Carrie, Peter and Michael. De Muniz has chaired the Sakhalin/Oregon Rule of Law partnership and served on the Judicial Fitness and Disability Commission, 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...
's Board of Bar Examiners, the Supreme Court Access to Justice for All Committee, and the Oregon Criminal Justice Council.
Works authored
- A Practical Guide to Oregon Criminal Procedure and Practice, Templeton Press, 2005.
- "Eroding the Public’s Confidence in Judicial Impartiality: First Amendment Federal Jurisprudence and Special Interest Financing of Judicial Campaigns", 67 Albany Law Review 763, 2004.
- "Politicizing State Judicial Elections: A Threat to Judicial Independence", 38 Willamette Law ReviewWillamette Law ReviewThe Willamette Law Review is a law review academic journal published by Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1959 as a predecessor to an earlier publication, the quarterly publication is housed in the Oregon Civic Justice Center. Cited as Willamette L...
367, 2002.