The Oregon State Bar honored Thomas A. Balmer of the Oregon Supreme Court with the Wallace P. Carson Jr. Award for Judicial Excellence. The award is given to current or retired state court or federal judge that has made a significant contribution to the judicial system and is a model of professionalism, integrity, and judicial independence. The award was established in 2006 in honor of Wallace P. Caron Jr, Oregon’s longest serving chief justice.
Balmer was elected to ALI in 2018 and to its Council in 2022. He served on the Oregon Supreme Court from 2001 to 2022 and as chief justice from 2012 to 2018. He is now a senior judge and sits, by designation, as an appellate and trial judge in the Oregon courts.
Balmer received the award during the Oregon State Bar annual awards ceremony in October 2023. The Oregon State Bar Bulletin profiled Balmer on the award, available here.