Richard Unis

Richard L. Unis (June 11, 1928 – February 10, 2016) was an American attorney in the state of Oregon, United States. He was the 89th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Previously he was a judge for the city of Portland, a judge at the county level, and a state circuit court judge.

Richard Unis
89th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
In office
1990–1996
Appointed byNeil Goldschmidt
Preceded byHans A. Linde
Succeeded byTed Kulongoski
Personal details
BornJune 11, 1928
Portland, Oregon
DiedFebruary 10, 2016(2016-02-10) (aged 87)
Gresham, Oregon
Spouse(s)Gloria Lenore Schuster

Early life

Richard Unis was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, attending Franklin High School.[1][2] After high school he attended and graduated from the University of Oregon on a basketball scholarship.[1][2] On March 23, 1952, he married Gloria Lenore Schuster in Portland.[3] In 1953, Unis graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in Eugene, Oregon.[4] After law school he began working at the city attorney's office in Portland.[1]

Judicial career

In 1968 Unis began serving as a municipal court judge for Portland, remaining at that position until 1971.[5] That year the court was merged with the county district court where Unis would serve until 1976.[5] Beginning in 1969 he began teaching at the Northwestern College of Law, while also teaching at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.[5] In January 1977 Richard Unis was appointed to the state circuit court.[5]

On February 1, 1990, Unis was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court by Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt to replace the retiring Hans A. Linde.[6][7] Unis then won a full six-year term on the state's highest court later in 1990, but resigned on June 30, 1996 before completing that term.[7] He retired from the Supreme Court in order to take a position overseeing the settlement of a class action lawsuit against Louisiana-Pacific for problems with their siding material.[8] Unis was appointed by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones.

Later life and family

Unis was awarded the Herbert Harley Award in October 1999 for his "outstanding efforts and contributions that substantially change and improve the administration of justice in their states."[4] This national award is presented by the American Judicature Society.[4] In October 2003, Unis helped finalize the settlement in the Louisiana-Pacific siding lawsuits as a special master appointed by the court.[9]

Unis died on February 10, 2016, at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham, Oregon, at the age of 87.[2] He had lived in Clackamas County along the Sandy River for more than thirty years at his death.[2]

References
  1. Leeson, Fred. New justices seen as moderate, progressive thinkers. The Oregonian, February 7, 1990.
  2. Hammond, Betsy (February 20, 2016). "Richard Unis, former Oregon Supreme Court justice, 'ideal' trial judge, dead at 87". The Oregonian/OregonLive. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  3. "Richard Louis Unis (1928 - 2016)". Obituaries & Guestbooks. OregonLive. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  4. Former Supreme Court Judge Unis Honored With Harley Award. Oregon Lawyer, Spring 2000.
  5. Leeson, Fred. Graber, Unis chosen for high court. The Oregonian, January 31, 1990.
  6. Oregon State Archives: Governor's Records Guides. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  7. Oregon Blue Book: Earliest Authorities in Oregon - Supreme Court Justices of Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  8. Church, Foster. Justice will leave state high court early to oversee L-P case. The Oregonian, June 13, 1996.
  9. Rivera, Dylan. LP wrapping up payments on inner-seal siding claims. The Oregonian, October 7, 2003.
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