[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 41 (Friday, April 15, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     TRIBUTE TO JUDGE LOREN S. DAHL

                                 ______


                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 1994

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Judge Loren 
S. Dahl, who is retiring from 14 years of dedicated service to the 
bench of the Eastern District of California.
  As Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District 
of California, Judge Dahl was named 1993 Judge of the Year by the 
Sacramento County Bar Association. In bestowing the award, the bar 
association cited Judge Dahl's work as a ``sterling example of how to 
increase access to justice for the benefit of the general public, 
debtors and creditors alike.''
  Judge Dahl was appointed to the bench in 1980 and since 1986 he has 
served as the Chief Judge of the court. During his tenure on the bench, 
the number of bankruptcy cases filed increased 281%. In order to deal 
with this staggering case load, Judge Dahl effected a number of changes 
including the adoption of local rules, the development of streamlined 
law and motion practices and a self-set calendar system--the only one 
of its kind in the federal courts--where litigants are able to schedule 
matters on the court's calendar without advance approval from the 
court. Moreover, Judge Dahl streamlined the chapter 13 process and 
expedited the taking of direct testimony during trials.
  Besides his duties as Chief Judge, Judge Dahl served as Chairman of 
the Ninth Circuit Conference of Chief Bankruptcy Judges and as such was 
an observer-member of the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council.
  Prior to his judicial appointment, he practiced law for 30 years as a 
senior partner of the Sacramento firm Dahl, Hefner, Stark and Marios 
specializing in bankruptcy and other matters.
  He has been active in many Sacramento civic organizations, including 
a lifelong involvement in Boy Scouts of America. Since 1980, he has 
been a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Pacific 
as well as the Board of Visitors of McGeorge School of Law, University 
of the Pacific.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I salute the many 
contributions Judge Loren Dahl has made to the legal community. His 
leadership on the bench has been instrumental to the effective 
administration of justice in the Eastern District and I ask my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating him and wishing him continued 
success in all of his future endeavors.

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