Justice Betty Roberts ’62

Betty Roberts is being hailed as a pioneer after her death at the age of 88, and properly so — as Oregon’s first female appellate judge, serving on both the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, she was clearly a trailblazer. The story of her life is a reminder of how heavily pioneers’ achievements depend on sheer hard work and determination. Roberts was often in the right place at the right time, but she had to struggle to get there.

Roberts joined the Court of Appeals in 1977, when the court was expanded to 10 from six members. The expansion was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for advancement in Oregon’s judicial system. But before Roberts could even be considered for an appointment, she had to earn a law degree and make a name for herself in politics.

Roberts’ destiny would have seemed improbable while she was growing up poor in Depression-era Texas, or while she was the mother of four after moving to Oregon in the post-World War II years. She obtained her college education in brief stretches interrupted by moves and family obligations, ultimately earning a degree in political science from the University of Oregon. She attended the Northwest School of Law (now Lewis & Clark) while teaching high school full time.

Roberts received her law degree in 1966, the same year she was elected to her second term in the Oregon House of Representatives. She had to change teaching jobs earlier to find a school district that would allow her to serve in Salem. In 1968 she was elected to the Oregon Senate, and became the only female serving in that chamber.

In 1974, midway through her second Senate term, she ran for governor, narrowly losing the Democratic nomination to Bob Straub. Later that same year former Sen. Wayne Morse died after winning the Democratic nomination in his attempt to make a comeback against Sen. Bob Packwood, and the party chose Roberts as Morse’s successor. Packwood won.

That’s one busy decade. By the end of it Roberts was established as a statewide political figure, so much so that Straub, her former opponent, could make a precedent-setting Appeals Court appointment despite Roberts’ lack of judicial experience. She was elected to the court in her own right a year later, and proceeded to build a reputation as a hard-working justice. In 1982 Gov. Vic Atiyeh, a Republican, appointed Roberts to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, and voters gave her a full term later that year.

Today, an all-male court at any level would be considered deficient in an important respect; the territory Roberts pioneered is now well-settled. Two of the Oregon Supreme Court’s seven justices are women, as are four of 10 justices on the Court of Appeals. Change was in the air three decades ago — after an unbroken string of 82 men on the Supreme Court, Oregon was ready for its 83rd to be a woman. That readiness owes much to the fact that Roberts had struggled to gain the necessary qualifications and credibility.

Roberts was a member of the vanguard that has won footholds for women in public life. She proved that women have much to contribute, and society cheats itself by limiting their potential. Roberts also showed that effort is a formidable battering ram against any barriers. Pioneering requires more than bravery and good fortune — it’s hard work.

Justice Betty Roberts’ Legacy

By UO President Richard Lariviere

The weekend brought word of Oregon Supreme Court Justice Betty Roberts’ death at 88. She has inspired many on our campus, and in 1984 she received the University of Oregon’s Distinguished Service Award.

Jan and I heard of Justice Roberts’ legacy soon after we arrived in Oregon. And last spring Jan had the good fortune of meeting her when she hosted a luncheon at McMorran House as an opportunity for some students, faculty, and community members to talk with Justice Roberts.

Justice Roberts was a trail blazer throughout her life. She cleared new paths, especially for women, from serving on the school board, to the Oregon State Legislature, and as the first woman on Oregon’s Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

In her memoir, With Grit and by Grace, Justice Roberts writes of the discrimination she encountered at different stages of her life, including at the University of Oregon. She earned a master’s degree in political science from the UO, but was discouraged by a faculty member from pursuing her doctorate because of her age and gender. She writes that as a result of that experience, she decided to pursue a career in law, ultimately earning a law degree from Lewis and Clark College.

Justice Roberts’ persistence in identifying and pushing back against discrimination sets an example for all, and her many contributions have made Oregon a better state. Her passing reminds us of the difference that one person can make.

Her story also reminds us that this institution continues to evolve, and we must seize every opportunity to improve how we serve our students. No matter what department or office you work in, every interaction we have could make a difference in the life of a future, current, or former student.