Thomas Tongue
Encyclopedia
Thomas H. Tongue III was an American
jurist in the state of Oregon
. A native of the state, he served as the 75th associate justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
, serving 13 years on the state's highest court. Tongue is the grandson of U.S. Representative
Thomas H. Tongue
, who was an emigrant from England
in the early days of the state of Oregon.
, on February 12, 1912, to the Tongue legal family. He began college in 1930 and graduated with his undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon
in 1934. He then attended the School of Law
at the University of Oregon, graduating with a J.D. in 1937. While at Oregon he served as class president as an undergrad, and finished first in his class in law school. Also as an undergraduate he was a member of the Chi Psi
fraternity. After the University of Oregon he went on to earn an advanced degree from Yale Law School
. At Yale he earned a Doctor of the Science of Law while on the Yale Sterling Fellowship
that he had obtained with the assistance of Dean Wayne Morse of Oregon’s law school.
government for the Labor Department, including arguing cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Later he worked for the National War Labor Board and the University of Oregon before entering private practice in 1943 in Portland, Oregon
. During his time in private practice, Tongue taught at the Northwestern College of Law
. Additionally, he served on the Oregon State Bar
’s board of governors, Oregon Labor Management Relations Board, and was chairperson of the Oregon Judicial Fitness Commission. In 1961, he received the State Bar's Award of Merit.
Tongue was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court
by Governor
Tom McCall
in 1969 to replace Alfred Goodwin
who had resigned.
Tongue was then elected to a full six-year term in 1970 and re-elected in 1976. Justice Tongue then resigned from the bench February 7, 1982. After retiring from the Oregon Supreme Court
, Tongue continued to work as a senior judge for the state and as an arbitrator. In 1992, the Oregon State Bar Association granted him their President's Award.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist 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...
. A native of the state, he served as the 75th associate 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 13 years on the state's highest court. Tongue is the grandson of U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Thomas H. Tongue
Thomas H. Tongue
Thomas H. Tongue was an American politician and attorney in the state of Oregon. Born in England, his family immigrated to Washington County, Oregon, in 1859. In Oregon, he would serve in the State Senate from 1889 to 1893 and was the seventh mayor of Hillsboro...
, who was an emigrant from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the early days of the state of Oregon.
Early life
Justice Tongue was born in Hillsboro, OregonHillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
, on February 12, 1912, to the Tongue legal family. He began college in 1930 and graduated with his undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in 1934. He then attended the 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,...
at the University of Oregon, graduating with a J.D. in 1937. While at Oregon he served as class president as an undergrad, and finished first in his class in law school. Also as an undergraduate he was a member of the Chi Psi
Chi Psi
Chi Psi Fraternity is a fraternity and secret society consisting of 29 active chapters at American colleges and universities. It was founded on Thursday May 20, 1841, by 10 students at Union College with the idea of emphasizing the fraternal and social principles of a brotherhood...
fraternity. After the University of Oregon he went on to earn an advanced degree from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
. At Yale he earned a Doctor of the Science of Law while on the Yale Sterling Fellowship
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:...
that he had obtained with the assistance of Dean Wayne Morse of Oregon’s law school.
Legal career
Tongue began his career working in the New DealNew Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
government for the Labor Department, including arguing cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Later he worked for the National War Labor Board and the University of Oregon before entering private practice in 1943 in 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...
. During his time in private practice, Tongue taught at the Northwestern College of Law
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....
. Additionally, he served on 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 governors, Oregon Labor Management Relations Board, and was chairperson of the Oregon Judicial Fitness Commission. In 1961, he received the State Bar's Award of Merit.
Tongue was appointed 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...
by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Tom McCall
Tom McCall
Thomas Lawson McCall was an American politician and journalist in the state of Oregon. A Republican, he was the 30th Governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975. A native of Massachusetts, he grew up there and in Central Oregon before attending the University of Oregon...
in 1969 to replace Alfred Goodwin
Alfred Goodwin
Alfred Theodore Goodwin is a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He was chief judge of that court in 1988-91.-Education and professional career:...
who had resigned.
Tongue was then elected to a full six-year term in 1970 and re-elected in 1976. Justice Tongue then resigned from the bench February 7, 1982. After retiring from 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...
, Tongue continued to work as a senior judge for the state and as an arbitrator. In 1992, the Oregon State Bar Association granted him their President's Award.
Decisions authored
- Ruble Forest Products, Inc. v. Lancer Mobile Homes of Oregon, 269 Or. 315, 524 P.2d 1204 (1974) (contractContractA contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
law) - Southworth v. Oliver, 284 Or. 361, 587 P.2d 994 (1978) (contract law)
- Oregon Bus. Planning Cncl. v. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development, 290 Or. 741, 626 P.2d 350 (1981) (land useLand use planningLand-use planning is the term used for a branch of public policy encompassing various disciplines which seek to order and regulate land use in an efficient and ethical way, thus preventing land-use conflicts. Governments use land-use planning to manage the development of land within their...
)
Later life and family
Justice Tongue was married to Bernice Healy. They had three sons: John Richard, James Cadwell, and Thomas Healy. Thomas H. Tongue III died May 31, 1994, in Hillsboro, Oregon and is buried at Hillsboro’s Pioneer CemeteryHillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
The Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery is in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Located at the west end of the town along the Tualatin Valley Highway and adjacent to Dairy Creek. The cemetery comprises three formerly private cemeteries...
.