Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
James L. Sutherland was born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1943. His family moved to California when he was very young. He attended Oregon State University, earning a bachelor of science in economics in 1965. He graduated from UCLA with a juris doctorate in 1968. He returned to Oregon and practiced law in Portland with the Morrison and Bailey law firm. He began working in the Multnomah County district attorney's office in 1970. While working in the district attorney's office, he met Cheryl A. (her surname prior to marriage is unknown) and they married in 1973; they later had three children. The year they married, the couple relocated to Medford, Oregon, and Sutherland joined the Frohnmayer and Deatherage law firm. Sutherland became an assistant U.S. attorney in 1978. He was also an adjunct professor at the University of Oregon.
This oral history with James L. Sutherland was conducted by Kelly A. Zusman at Sutherland's office in Portland, Oregon, on July 13, 2006. In this interview, Sutherland briefly describes his family background and early life in California and his college experiences at University of Oregon and the University of California, Los Angeles. He discusses practicing law in Portland with Morrison and Bailey and taking depositions; working in the Multnomah County district attorney's office and jury selection; and relocating to Medford and practicing at the Frohnmayer and Deatherage law firm. He also briefly talks about teaching trial law at the University of Oregon.
Sutherland discusses working as an assistant U.S. attorney beginning in 1978. He talks about the types of cases he worked on, particularly regarding forest fires and civil disobedience. He also talks about his passion for running, his involvement with the Oregon Bar Association, and his plans for retirement. He discusses his work as chief of the civil division at the U.S. attorney's office. He closes the interview by describing some of the judges and lawyers he's worked with.
Restricted until the death of James L. Sutherland.
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. When restrictions on access are released, use will be allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Educational Use Permitted:
Oral history interview with James L. Sutherland, by Kelly A. Zusman, SR 11095, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Gift of the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society, June 2007 (Lib. Acc. 26270).
Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.