Ninth Circuit Press Release Re: Appointment of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kathryn F. Evans

9th US Circuit Court of Appeals Appoints New Bankruptcy Judge for District of Oregon

SAN FRANCISCO - Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit have appointed Kathryn F. Evans as the next bankruptcy judge on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon. Her 14-year term began Thursday, March 5, when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David W. Hercher administered the oath of office. Judge Evans will maintain chambers in Eugene.

Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Peter C. McKittrick, of the District of Oregon, stated, "The Oregon bankruptcy bench is thrilled to welcome Judge Evans to our court. Her diverse experience and collegial approach to her professional activities make her a perfect fit for our court."

Before her appointment to the bench, Judge Evans was a trial attorney since 2015 at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Trustee, in Seattle. She was in private practice as an associate at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP, from 2009 to 2015. She served as a law clerk for the Honorable Robert N. Opel II, of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, from 2006 to 2009.

Judge Evans graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego, in 2002 and earned her Juris Doctor in 2005 from the University of California, San Francisco, where she was the recipient of the Hastings 1066 Foundation's Scholarly Journal Prize for Outstanding Contributions to the editorial board of a law journal. She served as the publication editor of the Hastings West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon reported 7,731 bankruptcy filings in fiscal year 2025, ending September 30, up 17.1% from FY 2024. The court is authorized five permanent judgeships.

Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit have statutory responsibility for selecting and appointing bankruptcy judges in the nine western states that comprise the 9th Circuit. The court uses a comprehensive merit selection process for the initial appointment and for reappointments. Bankruptcy judges serve a 14-year renewable term and handle all bankruptcy-related matters under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.