William Ball Gilbert - Political Career

Political Career

In 1888, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives. A Republican, he represented Portland, serving only during the 1889 legislative session. Gilbert was nominated on February 23, 1892 to a newly created position on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by United States President Benjamin Harrison. His nomination to the court was hampered when one of the associates in his firm, future judge Wallace McCamant, wrote a letter to a friend expounding that McCamant would gain financially from Gilbert's election to the court. After it was explained that the financial gain had to do with McCamant becoming partner in the firm if Gilbert left, and not something illicit, the nomination moved forward.

The United States Senate confirmed him for the seat on March 18, and he received his federal court commission that same day. He was assigned to the federal courthouse in Portland, now named the Pioneer Courthouse. While on the court he was responsible for many important decisions, while also serving as the senior ranking judge on the court for 34 years. These including cases concerning the scandal over gold mining in Alaska, a controversy over Leland Stanford's estate and Stanford University, a lawsuit over the Teapot Dome scandal, and the Ninth's opinion in what became the Olmstead v. United States wiretapping case.

Gilbert also worked alongside Joseph McKenna, who would later become United States Attorney General before nomination to the United States Supreme Court. Gilbert openly opposed McKenna's nomination to the country's high court based on Gilbert's poor view of McKenna's legal abilities. After Gilbert's death, William Denman replaced him on the court.