Oral history interview with Thomas M. Coffin

Collection

Identifier: SR 1399

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Thomas M. Coffin was conducted by Makaela Kroin in Coffin’s chambers at the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, from May 2, 2018, to November 1, 2019, as part of the United States District Court of Oregon Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in six sessions.

In this interview, Coffin discusses his family background and early life in St. Louis, Missouri. He talks about his college experiences at a Catholic seminary, at St. Benedict College in Atchinson, Kansas, and at Harvard Law School. He speaks at length about working as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. attorney’s office in San Diego, California, from 1971 to 1980, and at the U.S. attorney’s office in Eugene, Oregon, from 1980 to 1992. He then speaks at length about his service as a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon.

Dates

2018 May 2-2019 November 1

Creator

Coffin, Thomas M. (Thomas Michael), 1945- (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

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

Biographical note

Thomas Michael Coffin was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1945. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Benedict College in Atchinson, Kansas. In 1970, he earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. The next year, he began working as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. attorney’s office in San Diego, California. In 1973, he and Penelope Teaff were married; they later had seven children. In 1980, he moved to the U.S. attorney’s office in Eugene, Oregon, and in 1992, he became a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon.

Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; information provided by Coffin in his interview.

Extent

5.43 Gigabytes (7 audio files (WAV, 9 hr., 11 min., 54 sec.) + transcript (144 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Thomas M. Coffin conducted by Makaela Kroin from May 2, 2018, to November 1, 2019, as part of the United States District Court of Oregon Oral History Project. Coffin discusses his career as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney's offices in San Diego, California, and in Eugene, Oregon, and his service as a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon.