Helen J. Frye
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
In office
December 10, 1995 – April 21, 2011
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
In office
February 20, 1980 – December 10, 1995
Appointed byJimmy Carter
Preceded bySeat established by 92 Stat. 1629
Succeeded byGarr King
Personal details
Born
Helen Elizabeth Jackson

(1930-12-10)December 10, 1930
Klamath Falls, Oregon, US
DiedApril 21, 2011(2011-04-21) (aged 80)
Portland, Oregon, US
ChildrenE. Max Frye
EducationUniversity of Oregon (BA, MA)
University of Oregon School of Law (JD)

Helen Jackson Frye (December 10, 1930 – April 21, 2011) was an American judge and attorney in the state of Oregon. She served as a judge of the Oregon Circuit Court and later as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

Early life

Helen Jackson was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon on December 10, 1930,[1] the daughter of Elizabeth (Kirkpatrick) and Earl Jackson.[2][3] She grew up on a potato and grain farm in Klamath County. Her father died when she was three, and she was raised by her maternal grandparents from age three to nine while her mother and sibling recovered from tuberculosis.[4][5] Her mother remarried and they moved from the family farm.[4]

After high school she attended the University of Oregon where she graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and served as class president of her sophomore class.[3][4] To pay for school, Frye worked as a babysitter and a waitress.[4] She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.[5] After graduation, she taught in public schools.[6] In 1961, Frye earned a Master of Arts at the University of Oregon. She graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1966 with a Juris Doctor.[3] She had three children with her first husband Bill Frye: Karen, Heidi, and filmmaker E. Max Frye.[4][5][7]

Legal career

After passing the bar in 1966 she entered private legal practice in Eugene, and worked for her husband, who was the district attorney for Lane County.[3][5] In 1971, Frye left private practice and became a judge for the Oregon Circuit Court’s second district covering Lane County.[3] Oregon Governor Tom McCall appointed her to the position, and she became the first female judge of the Oregon Circuit Courts.[4][5] Helen and Bill divorced in 1975, with Helen remarrying to Perry Holloman.[5] She remained on that court after winning election to a full term and re-election until 1980, when she became a judge for a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon[5]

In 1973, as circuit court judge Frye she presided over the trial of Dayton Leroy Rogers, who was found not guilty by reason of mental defect.[8] Rogers was sent to the Oregon State Hospital, was released on December 12, 1974, and then went on to kill several women before being sent to death row.[8]

Federal judicial service

Frye was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on December 3, 1979, to the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 20, 1980, and received her commission the same day, becoming the first female federal judge in Oregon. She assumed senior status on December 10, 1995, serving in that status until her death, but was inactive her final years.[3]

Notable cases

Frye presided over the case that voided the incorporation of the community of Rajneeshpuram in Central Oregon.[6] She also dismissed a case concerning the protection of the northern spotted owl from logging in 1989.[9] In 1992, she was the trial court level judge for Kyllo v. United States, an unlawful search case that made it to the United States Supreme Court in 2001.[10]

Later years and death

Frye was awarded the Meritorious Service Award from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2000.[11] Helen Frye died on April 21, 2011, in Portland, Oregon.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Green, Aimee. "Helen Frye - Oregon's first female federal judge - dies at age 80". www.oregonlive.com. The Oregonian Online. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  2. ^ Brownson, Anna L. (1991). Judicial staff directory. Congressional Staff Directory, Ltd. p. 669. ISBN 978-0-87289-087-9. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Helen Jackson Frye at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Van Meter, Heather. Three Oregon Judges and a 25th Anniversary. Archived 2008-09-07 at the Wayback Machine Oregon Benchmarks, Fall 2005. Retrieved on June 3, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Mitchell, Jann. Helen Frye: View from the bench. The Oregonian, January 15, 1989.
  6. ^ a b Alumni & Development: Frontier Spirits. Archived 2008-10-13 at the Wayback Machine University of Oregon. Retrieved on June 3, 2008.
  7. ^ Turnquist, Kristi. Judge files an appeal on behalf of 'Amos and Andrew' screenings. The Oregonian, March 11, 1993.
  8. ^ a b King, Gary C. "Dayton Leroy Rogers". Sexual Preditors. truTV. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  9. ^ Bishop, Katherine. Effort to Save Spotted Owl Suffers Setback in U.S. Court in Oregon. The New York Times, May 20, 1989.
  10. ^ Farrell, Peter. Final charges are dismissed in landmark case. The Oregonian, October 7, 2001.
  11. ^ U.S. District Judge Helen Frye to receive UO Law School award.[permanent dead link] University of Oregon, May 16, 2000. Retrieved on June 3, 2008.

External links

Legal offices Preceded bySeat established by 92 Stat. 1629 Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon 1980–1995 Succeeded byGarr King
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