Robert S. Bean

Robert Sharp Bean (November 28, 1854 – January 7, 1931) was an American attorney and judge in the state of Oregon. He was the 16th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, serving as chief justice three different times. Bean was on the state’ highest court from 1890 to 1909 when he was appointed as a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. An Oregon native, he was part of the first graduating class of the University of Oregon.

Early life

Robert Bean was born on November 28, 1854, in Yamhill County, Oregon. He was educated first at Monmouth Christian College before attending the University of Oregon in Eugene where he was part of the first graduating class in 1878 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Bean then read the law and entered private practice in Eugene from 1878-1882.

Judicial career

In 1882, Bean became a circuit judge for the state of Oregon, serving until 1890. Then in 1890 he won election to the Oregon Supreme Court in the November election. In 1895, the University of Oregon conferred an honorary doctorate of laws degree on the Bean. Bean won additional six-year terms in 1896, 1902, and 1908. He then served as chief justice on three occasions, 1894–1896, 1900–1902, and 1905-1909. While chief justice in 1906, Justice Bean wrote the opinion for the Oregon court in State v. Muller (48 Or. 252, 85 P. 855) that would then go to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the opinion was affirmed. He also wrote the opinion in Kadderly v. City of Portland, 44 Or 118, 74 P. 710 (1903) on the constitutionality of the initiative and referendum system in Oregon.