Adrienne Nelson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Oregon | |
| Assumed office February 23, 2023 | |
| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Michael W. Mosman |
| Justice of theOregon Supreme Court | |
| In office January 2, 2018 – February 23, 2023 | |
| Appointed by | Kate Brown |
| Preceded by | Jack Landau |
| Succeeded by | Aruna Masih |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Adrienne Camille Nelson 1967 (age 57–58) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Education | University of Arkansas (BA) University of Texas at Austin (JD) |
Adrienne Camille Nelson (born 1967)[1] is an American lawyer and jurist serving as aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Oregon since 2023. She previously served as a justice of theOregon Supreme Court from 2018 to 2023 and as a judge on theMultnomah CountyCircuit Court from 2006 to 2018.[2]
Nelson was born inKansas City, Missouri, in 1967, and grew up in southwesternArkansas.[3] She graduated fromGurdon High School inGurdon, Arkansas, in 1985.[4] Nelson's mother successfully sued her school district to allow Nelson to bevaledictorian after her high school initially named a white student with a lower GPA to be valedictorian instead.[5]
Nelson graduated from theUniversity of Arkansas in 1990 with aBachelor of Arts,summa cum laude, inEnglish literature andcriminal justice.[6] She then attended theUniversity of Texas School of Law, graduating in 1993 with aJuris Doctor.[7][8]
Nelson moved toPortland, Oregon, in 1993, to be closer to her mother, who had previously relocated to the state.[4][8] Nelson was a contract analyst for an insurance company for two years.[8] She then worked as an attorney inprivate practice in Portland as apublic defender,[9] with Multnomah Defenders Inc, a non-profitpublic interest law firm, from 1996 to 1999, and for the law firm Bennett, Hartman, Morris & Kaplan LLP from 1999 to 2004. Nelson was a senior attorney in Student Legal and Mediation Services forPortland State University from 2004 to 2006.[7] Nelson served as anadjunct professor atLewis & Clark Law School from 2002 to 2005.[1]
Nelson has been a member of theAmerican Bar Association House of Delegates and the ABA Commission on Disability Rights. She received the Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLs) JudgeMercedes Deiz Award in 2003, and theOregon State Bar President's Public Service Award in 2007.[3][dead link] She has also served as president of the Multnomah Bar Foundation and president of the Oregon State Bar Foundation Board.[10]
In 2021, aschool inHappy Valley, Oregon was named after Nelson.[11]
GovernorTed Kulongoski appointed Nelson as a judge on theMultnomah CountyCircuit Court in February 2006, to replace Sidney Galton.[3][8] She was re-elected to a new six-year term in 2012.[12]
GovernorKate Brown appointed Nelson to theOregon Supreme Court in January 2018, to replace justiceJack Landau, who retired on December 31, 2017.[2] Nelson's term on the Supreme Court ended in January 2019, but she was elected to a full six year term in November 2018.[13]
Nelson is the firstAfrican-American to serve on theOregon Supreme Court, or on any stateappellate court inOregon.[2]
On July 14, 2022, PresidentJoe Biden nominated Nelson to serve as aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Oregon.[14] President Biden nominated Nelson to the seat vacated by JudgeMichael W. Mosman, who assumedsenior status on December 27, 2021.[15] On October 12, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before theSenate Judiciary Committee.[16] On December 1, 2022, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[17] On January 3, 2023, her nomination was returned to the President underRule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of theUnited States Senate; she was renominated later the same day.[18] On February 2, 2023, her nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–9 vote.[19] On February 14, 2023, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 53–44 vote.[20] On February 15, 2023, she was confirmed by a 52–46 vote.[21] She received her judicial commission on February 23, 2023.[22] She is the firstAfrican-American woman to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.[23]
On December 10, 2024, Nelson issued an injunction blocking a merger between Kroger and Albertsons. The FTC sought to block the merger as a violation of antitrust law, arguing that a merger between the two companies would stifle competition.[24][25]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Justice of theOregon Supreme Court 2018–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Oregon 2023–present | Incumbent |