Oral history interview with Stephen M. Bloom

Collection

Identifier: SR 11098

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Stephen M. Bloom was conducted by Donna Sinclair at the U.S. District Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, from April 19 to May 2, 2005, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in three sessions, and a transcript is available. Part of the third session was recorded simultaneously on audiocassette and videocassette.

In this interview, Bloom discusses his family background and early life in San Francisco and the San Fernando Valley, California, as well as his education at Stanford University and at the Willamette University law school. He speaks at length about his legal career, particularly focusing on practicing law in Pendleton, Oregon, from 1981 to 2005, and on cases he worked on in the field of water law.

Dates

2005 April 19-May 2

Creator

Bloom, Stephen M. (Stephen Michael), 1948- (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Joint copyright for this interview is held by the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society and the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright, Educational Use Permitted http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/

Biographical note

Stephen Michael Bloom was born in San Francisco, California, in 1948. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley, where his father was a general practice physician. In 1970, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University. He served in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps while in college. After graduating, he worked with the Equal Educational Opportunities Commission in the California Department of Education. In 1977, he earned a law degree from Willamette University. In 1976, he and Rebecca J. "Becky" Nelson were married; they later had three children. From 1981 to 2005, he practiced law in Pendleton, Oregon, and from 1988 to 2005, he served as a part-time magistrate judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon. In 2011, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber appointed Bloom to the Oregon Public Utility Commission. His second term ended in 2019.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (6 audiocassettes (4 hr., 24 min., 20 sec.) and 1 videocassette (Mini-DV, 1 hr., 55 sec.) + transcript (103 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Stephen M. Bloom conducted by Donna Sinclair from April 19 to May 2, 2005, as part of the U.S. District Court Oral History Project. Bloom discusses his career as a lawyer in Pendleton, Oregon, and as a magistrate judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon.