R. William Riggs
Encyclopedia
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.
with a bachelor’s degree of science in history in 1961. 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.
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.
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
. 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. 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. He then resigned from the court in September 2006 and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
appointed Martha Lee Walters
to fill the position.
, he has two children. Riggs was 65 years old in May 2004. 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
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and former 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 currently a senior judge for 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...
, and previously was the 94th justice 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...
serving from 1998 to 2006.
Early life
Richard William Riggs graduated from Portland State UniversityPortland 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...
with a bachelor’s degree of science in history in 1961. 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
University of Oregon School of Law
The University of Oregon School of Law is a public law school in the U.S. state of Oregon. Housed in the Knight Law Center, it is Oregon's only state funded law school. The school, founded in 1884, is located on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, on the corner of 15th and Agate streets,...
. He graduated with his Juris doctorate in 1968 after being a member 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...
. 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 DeltaPhi Alpha Delta
ΦAΔ , or P.A.D., is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States of America. Phi Alpha Delta has members who are university students, law school students, lawyers, judges, senators, and even presidents. It was founded in 1902 and today has over 300,000 initiated members...
and Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
. In 1993, he helped to found the Oregon Academy of Family Law Practitioners and has worked with the organization since its inception.
Judicial career
William Riggs became a circuit court judgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
for Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
in 1978, serving until 1988. From 1988 to 1998 he was a judge for 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...
. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals on October 24 of 1988 to replace 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...
who had been elected to 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...
. 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
John Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
appointed Riggs as the Ninety-fourth Associate Justice to the state supreme court. He replaced Susan P. Graber
Susan P. Graber
Susan Pia Graber 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...
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
Oregon v. Guzek
Oregon v. Guzek, 546 U.S. 517 , was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled that the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution does not grant criminal defendants facing the death penalty the right to introduce new evidence of their innocence during sentencing that...
, regarding the penalty phase of death penalty trials that was then heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. He then resigned from the court in September 2006 and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
Ted Kulongoski
Theodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski is an American politician, who served as the 36th Governor of Oregon. A Democrat, he has served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as the state Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General, and an Associate Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court.-Early...
appointed Martha Lee Walters
Martha Lee Walters
Martha Lee Walters 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...
to fill the position.
Scholarly publications
- A Proposal for Change, Willamette Law ReviewWillamette University College of LawWillamette 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...
. 39 Willamette L. Rev. 1439
Later life and family
A resident of WilsonvilleWilsonville, Oregon
Wilsonville is a city primarily in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A portion of the northern section of the city is in Washington County. Originally founded as Boones Landing due to the Boones Ferry which crossed the Willamette River at the location, the community became Wilsonville in...
, he has two children. Riggs was 65 years old in May 2004. 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
Oregon Judicial Department
The Oregon Judicial Department is the judicial branch of government of the state of Oregon in the United States. The chief executive of the branch is the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Oregon’s judiciary consists primarily of four different courts: the Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon...
.