Judge Thomas W. Kohl: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Thomas W. Kohl (Ret.) served as a judge for the 20th Judicial District Circuit Court in Oregon. Kohl was appointed to the bench by former Governor John Kitzhaber in 1997. He retired on December 31, 2015.

The 20th Judicial District encompasses Washington County. Over the course of his judicial career, Kohl was instrumental in launching the county’s Drug Court Program.

Kohl earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Kentucky in 1972. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Toledo College of Law in 1975. He was admitted to practice in Ohio (1975), Oregon (1982), the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

After graduating from law school, Kohl entered into private practice, specializing in civil and employment matters. He supplemented his practice with service as a city attorney for the City of Vernonia and an assistant city attorney for the City of Forest Grove.

Kohl is widely known for his public displays of faith. When a federal judge overturned the state’s ban on gay marriage, he announced that he would no longer be performing wedding ceremonies. Kohl is also a veteran of the United States Peace Corps, implementing water irrigation and open well projects in India.