Michael W. Mosman


Michael Wise Mosman is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. He served as Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon from February 1, 2016 to December 23, 2019. He also served a 7-year term on the FISA Court from May 4th, 2013 - May 3rd, 2020. The Oregon native previously served as the United States Attorney for the same district.

Early life and education

Michael Mosman was born in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 1956 in the city of Eugene. He grew up in Lewiston, Idaho, the son of an attorney and judge with an older sister and three younger brothers. He attended Ricks College in Idaho, which is now Brigham Young University–Idaho. He graduated with an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1979 before attending Utah State University in Logan, Utah. At Utah State he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981, and was the valedictorian of his class. Mosman then went on to law school at Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School. He graduated there in 1984 with a Juris Doctor. At BYU he was the editor of the law review, and graduated magna cum laude.

Legal career

In 1984, Mosman began clerking for Malcolm Richard Wilkey, judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The following year he entered private legal practice for part of 1985 as an associate at Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge. Mosman then was a judicial clerk for United States Supreme Court justice Lewis F. Powell. While clerking for Powell, he was involved in the justice's voting to uphold Georgia's sodomy law in Bowers v. Hardwick, writing
and
After leaving Powell's employ, Mosman entered private practice in Portland, Oregon, in 1986 at Miller Nash.

Federal judicial service

United States Attorney

In 1988, he began working as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, remaining until 2001. That year he became the United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, serving until 2003. He replaced Kristine Olson Rogers who had resigned.

United States District Judge

In 2003, United States President George W. Bush nominated Mosman to serve as judge for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon on May 8 to take the seat of Robert E. Jones, who had assumed senior status on the court.

Senate Confirmation

Mosman was confirmed unanimously in a 93-0 vote on September 25th, 2003 by the United States Senate during the 108th United States Congress. Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Gordon H. Smith spoke at the confirmation hearing, highlighting his prior service in the war on terrorism and that a bipartisan commission established to fill the vacancy left by Robert E. Jones had discovered him.

He served as Chief Judge for approximately 4 years from February 1, 2016 to December 23, 2019.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court & Alien Terrorist Removal Court

He served a full 7-year term as a Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from May, 2013 - May, 2020. He is also a Judge of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court since 2018.

Notable cases

Lemons v. Bradbury

On February 1, 2008, in Lemons v. Bradbury, Judge Mosman dismissed the lawsuit and lifted an injunction against Oregon's new civil union law. Judge Mosman had issued the temporary injunction in December 2007 to prevent Oregon's new civil union law from taking effect in January. This was in response to a legal challenge by a group that had attempted to place a referendum on the November 2008 ballot to block the civil union law that had been passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly. The legal issue centered on how the Oregon Secretary of State verified signatures on petitions.

Carter Page Warrant

In 2017, Judge Mosman approved renewal of a FISA Court warrant for Carter Page, a former adviser to the 2016 Trump Campaign. In July 2018, the warrant application was released publicly, marking the first time FISA warrant application materials were made public. The heavily-redacted, 412-page application cites many sources, including confidential informants. Among those many sources, the application cites the Steele dossier, leading a legal commentator to criticize the basis of the warrant.

Kawhi Leonard v. Nike Inc

In April, 2020, Judge Mosman granted Nike's motion dismissing Kawhi Leonard's copyright claims over a disputed logo, writing

Oregon restraining order against Department of Homeland Security (2020)

In July 2020, the Oregon Attorney General, Ellen Rosenblum, requested a restraining order based on the detainment actions of Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol personnel. The AG alleged that unmarked federal agents had unlawfully detained protesters in Portland without probable cause.
Michael Mosman rejected the request for a restraining order, stating that "because it has not shown it is vindicating an interest that is specific to the state itself — I find the State of Oregon lacks standing here and therefore deny its request for a temporary restraining order".

Awards

Mosman is married to the former Suzanne Cannon Hogan, and they have five children. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.