R. William Riggs

Infobox Judge
name = Richard William Riggs


imagesize =
caption =
office = 94th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
termstart = 1998
termend = 2006
nominator =
appointer = John Kitzhaber
predecessor = Susan P. Graber
successor = Martha Lee Walters
office2 = Judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals
constituency2 =
termstart2 = 1988
termend2 = 1998
nominator2 =
appointer2 = Neil Goldschmidt
predecessor2 = George Van Hoomissen
John C. Warden
successor2 = Rives Kistler
birthdate =
birthplace =
deathdate =
deathplace =
spouse =

Richard William Riggs is an American attorney and former judge in the state of Oregon. He is currently a senior judge for Oregon, and previously was the 94th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving from 1998 to 2006.

Early life

Richard William Riggs graduated from Portland State University with a bachelor’s degree of science in history in 1961.Appellate Courts Supreme Court Rives Kistler Age: 54. "The Oregonian", April 28 2004.] Riggs, R. William. A Proposal for Change. 39 "Willamette L. Rev." 1439] He then served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1961 to 1965. Riggs then went on to law school at the University of Oregon School of Law. He graduated with his Juris doctorate in 1968 after being a member of the school's law review. Riggs has two children.

Legal career

Riggs served as president of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association from 1973 to 1974, and has been on the board of governors for the Western Trial Lawyers Association. He is a member of both Phi Alpha Delta and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. In 1993, he helped to found the Oregon Academy of Family Law Practitioners and has worked with the organization since its inception. [ [http://www.law.uoregon.edu/alumni/ol/OL2004.pdf Oregon Lawyer: 2004.] University of Oregon School of Law. Retrieved January 13 2008.]

Judicial career

William Riggs became a circuit court judge for Multnomah County, Oregon in 1978, serving until 1988. From 1988 to 1998 he was a judge for the Oregon Court of Appeals. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals on October 24 of 1988 to replace George Van Hoomissen who had been elected to the Oregon Supreme Court. [http://www.bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections28.htm Oregon Blue Book: Appeals Court Judges of Oregon.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 13 2008.] Riggs was then elected to the court later in 1988 to fill a position vacated by John C. Warden and then re-elected in 1994. He resigned from the appeals court in September 1998.

On September 8 1998, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber appointed Riggs as the Ninety-fourth Associate Justice to the state supreme court. [ [http://www.bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections24.htm Oregon Blue Book: Governors of Oregon.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 13 2008.] cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Oregon Supreme Court Justices
work = Oregon Blue Book
publisher = Oregon Secretary of State
date =
url = http://www.bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections27.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-05-01 ] He replaced Susan P. Graber who had resigned in April. That fall Justice Riggs won election to a full six-year term, and then re-election in 2004. While on the court he authored the majority opinion in "State v. Guzek", regarding the penalty phase of death penalty trials that was then heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. ["State v. Guzek", 336 Or. 424, 86 P.3d 1106 (2004)] He then resigned from the court in September 2006 and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski appointed Martha Lee Walters to fill the position. [ [http://www.osbar.org/_docs/lawimprove/capinsider/ci_061004.pdf Capitol Insider.] Oregon Bar Association. Retrieved January 13 2008.] In accordance with Oregon law, Riggs is currently a senior judge subject to recall for temporary service on any court in the Oregon Judicial Department. [ [http://bluebook.state.or.us/state/judicial/judicial29.htm Oregon Blue Book: Senior Judges.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 13 2008.]

cholarly publications

*"A Proposal for Change", Willamette Law Review. 39 Willamette L. Rev. 1439

References

External links

* [http://www.ojd.state.or.us/courts/supreme/riggsbio.htm Supreme Court Bio]