Judge Owen. M. Panner remembered by Medford law community

Matt Jordan December 21, 2018

Last Updated: December 21, 2018

Medford, Ore — The law and order community of Medford is remembering the life of an Oregon legend in the legal field.

Senior U.S. District Judge Owen M. Panner died Wednesday night in Medford at the age of 94.

Panner was a World War II veteran, and was appointed to the federal level by president Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Panner continued hearing cases until 2015.

He’s remembered as a tough, but empathetic judge by those he mentored.

“His fundamental belief was that there is goodness in people and you look for goodness, he believed that people make mistakes, but they can change their life,” said U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke, a friend of Panner’s.

Panner also spent decades as a lawyer for Oregon tribes, was instrumental in the opening of Mount Bachelor and presided over the Tonya Harding lawsuit against the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Matt Jordan December 21, 2018

Matt Jordan

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Matt Jordan is the Chief Meteorologist for KOBI-TV NBC5. Matt joined the NBC5 weather team in 2014 after a year as a reporter and anchor in Alexandria, Louisiana. His experience with the severe weather of the Deep South and a love of the Pacific Northwest led him to pursue a certification with Mississippi State University as a Broadcast Meteorologist. You can find Matt working in the evenings of NBC5 News at 5, 6 and 11 as well as online. Matt also has a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. In addition to being passionate about news and weather, Matt is a BIG Oregon Ducks fan. When not rooting for the Ducks or tracking down the next storm over the Pacific, Matt can be found outdoors in the Oregon wilderness with his wife, his daughter and their dogs Stanley and Gordi.