Myron H. Bright Papers, 1968-2016

Myron H. Bright Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: Myron H. Bright Papers, 1968-2016

ID: OGLMC877

Primary Creator: Bright, Myron H. (1919-2016)

Extent: 0.0

Date Acquired: 07/18/1983. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Legal

Languages: English

Abstract

1919-2016; Judge on the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1968 to 2016

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Myron H. Bright Papers consist of Bright's chambers papers, which include correspondence and memoranda between Judge Bright and other judges, memoranda from his law clerks, oral argument and conference notes, and draft and final versions of rulings. The legal citation is indicated for most cases.

Judge Bright’s notable rulings included:

-the Reserve Mining cases 514 F.2d 492 (8th Cir. 1975): These cases upheld the right of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate corporate pollution, a practice unheard of before the lawsuit. Materials from these cases are found in Series 7 (Boxes 7 and 8), as well as Series 9 (Box 20) and Series 10 (Box 23).

-Chapman v. Meier 372 F. Supp. 371 (D.N.D. 1974): This case regarded the legality of federal court ordered reapportionment of the North Dakota Legislature. Materials from the case are found in Series 8 (Box 14).

-Walker v. Lockhart 726 F.2d 1238 (8^th Cir. 1984): This case freed a wrongly imprisoned, death row inmate after 23 years of confinement in Arkansas. Materials from the case are found in Series 15 (Box 51).

Collection Historical Note

"Myron H. Bright, 97, died peacefully on December 12, 2016 at the Eventide Fargo Senior Living Facility surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

Myron was born March 5, 1919 to Morris and Lena Bright in Eveleth, MN. He and his four siblings grew up in the hearty Iron Range of northern Minnesota. The Bright family was a staple of the Jewish community in the Iron Range and Myron has maintained a deep connection and close ties to the area throughout his life.

Myron attended Eveleth High School and graduated from Eveleth Junior College before going on to the University of Minnesota for his undergraduate and law degrees. His college days were interrupted by World War II, during which he honorably served his country as a Captain in the Army Air Corps, stationed in India.

He met Frances (Fritzie) Reisler in 1945 and they were married December 1946. After Myron’s graduation from law school, the couple moved to Fargo, ND in 1947 where they would make their home for the next 71 years. They were “partners” in every sense of the word until Fritzie’s death in October 2000. Myron and Fritzie were active members of the Fargo community and were involved in Democratic politics locally and state wide.

Myron joined the law firm of Wattam, Vogel and Vogel which became Wattam, Vogel, Vogel, Bright and Peterson and is now known as Vogel Law Firm. He had a 21 year career as a successful trial attorney, representing a variety of clients throughout North Dakota and Minnesota.

In 1968 Myron was appointed as an Appellate Judge on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals for the United States by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Over the course of his judicial career, he presided over more than 7,000 cases and authored more than 3,000 opinions. He was famous for his ground-breaking rulings in the field of civil rights and employment discrimination. Judge Bright complemented his judicial career with a strong involvement in legal education. His awards and accolades are too numerous to mention here. At his death he was the longest serving jurist on the Eighth Circuit.

Myron and Fritzie purchased what has come to be known as the “Little Brown Cottage” on Lake Melissa in Detroit Lakes, MN in 1968. From that date to the present it has become the perennial summer home for the entire Bright clan. Myron’s summers at the Lake were not to be interfered with and all who visited were welcomed to enjoy the full Bright family hospitality. He enjoyed golfing at the Detroit Lakes CC, tennis and most especially, walleye fishing with family and friends. He was fond of bird watching at the Lake and quite serious about tending to his bird feeders. He and Fritzie were accomplished Bridge and Cribbage players, often hosting their friends for games of cards.

When he wasn’t working or at the Lake, you could find Myron behind the pages of any newspaper, the New Yorker or a good book. His mind never stopped. He had an incredible memory and the astonishing ability to recall the smallest details of events that took place years ago. He was a friend to all he met and a gift of wisdom and advice to all those who knew him.

Myron loved and cherished his family. He referred to them as “the family,” using a formal tone, as if it were an official title. “The family” included not only his immediate one, but also the more than 100 law clerks who served him during his 48 years on the bench. He looked forward with great anticipation to the law clerk reunions, which were held every 5 years during his time as a judge.

He was known by many titles; Judge, Myron, Mike, Dad, Pops and Poppop. One of his most prized titles was “author,” having written and published his autobiography, Goodbye Mike, Hello Judge: My Journey for Justice in 2014. He was an avid sports fan; following the NDSU Bison, UND, the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins. He was a supporter of the arts; including the FM Symphony and FM Opera. He was the oldest member of Temple Beth El.

He is survived by his family who loved him dearly; daughter, Dinah (Christian) Golding of Fargo, ND; son, Joshua Bright of Excelsior, MN; grandchildren; Amy (Jim) Long of Fargo, ND, Sarianne (Brock) Dickson of Harwood, ND and Adam (Kimberly) Schultz of Shorewood, MN; great-grandchildren; William Bright, Connor James and Henry Elliot Long, Collins Frances and Maxum Brock Dickson; Mason Myron and Addison Marie Schultz; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Bright; parents, Morris and Lena Bright; brothers, Leo Bright, Roy Bright and Joe Bright; and sister, Mabel Bright Manfield."

Source: http://boulgerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/judge-myron-bright/

Subject/Index Terms

Legal

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals:

Judge Bright made numerous additions:

May 1984 (84-1298); November 1985 (85-1424); May 1986 (85-1445); February 1988 (88-1581); August 1989 (89-1678); May 1990 (90-1698); September 1990; April 1991 (91-1745); October 1991 (91-1791); November 1992 (92-1851); October 1993 (93-1918); April 1995 (95-2012); November 1997 (97-2154); June 1999 (99-2359); August 1999 (99-2371); March 2000 (2000-2426); October 2001 (2001-2531); October 2002 (2002-2579); February 2003 (2003-2609); June 2005 (2005-2756); September 2006 (2006-2865); January 2009 (2009-2960); August 2009 (2009-2969); January 2012 (2012-3148); July 2014 (2014-3256); May 2016 (2016-3309); March 2017 (2017-3335).

The collection was closed until the death of Judge Myron Bright on December 12, 2016.

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Myron Bright, Fargo, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; 83-1167

Related Publications: Goodbye Mike, Hello Judge: My Journey for Justice. by Myron H. Bright. Fargo: Institute for Regional Studies Press, 2014.

Preferred Citation: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Processing Information: Processing of the collection began in 2022.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Biographical Material],
[Series 2: 1968],
[Series 3: 1969],
[Series 4: 1970],
[Series 5: 1971],
[Series 6: 1972],
[Series 7: 1973],
[Series 8: 1974],
[Series 9: 1975],
[Series 10: 1976],
[Series 11: 1977],
[Series 12: 1978],
[Series 13: 1979],
[Series 14: 1980],
[Series 15: 1981],
[Series 16: 1982],
[Series 17: 1983],
[Series 18: 1984],
[Series 19: 1985],
[Series 20: 1986],
[Series 21: 1987],
[Series 22: 1988],
[Series 23: 1989],
[Series 24: 1990],
[Series 25: 1991],
[Series 26: 1992],
[Series 27: 1993],
[Series 28: 1994],
[Series 29: 1995],
[Series 30: 1996],
[Series 31: 1997],
[Series 32: 1998],
[Series 33: 1999],
[Series 34: 2000],
[All]

Series 30: 1996

Box 111

Folder 29: 96-1028: Walton General Contractors v. Chicago Forming and Peerless Insurance: 111 F.3d 1376 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 30: 95-2919: James Donald Callender v. Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility, etc.: 88 F.3d 666 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 31: 96-1140: Cheryl M. Morford v. City of Omaha, etc., et. al.: 98 F.3d 398 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 32: 96-1150: Harold L. Fife, et al. v. Freeman Bosley, et al.: 100 F.3d 87 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 33: 96-1205: Doyle J. Williams v. Paul K. Delo: 82 F.3d 781 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 34: 96-1259: Roy C. Henderson v. Marvin Evans, et al.: 97 F.3d 1456 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 35: 97-1370/96-1731/96-1621: USA v. Steven Triplett/Joseph Lee Triplett: 104 F.3d 1074 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 36: 96-1433: Jeffrey Paul Sloan v. Michael Bowersox: 77 F.3d 234 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 37: 96-1470: Lesa M. Primeaux v. USA: 102 F.3d 1458 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 38: 96-1481: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, etc. v. Gerald L. Nordbrock: 102 F.3d 335 (8th Cir. 1997)

Box 112

Folder 1: 96-1513/96-1516/96-1532: USA v. Francis Weekly/Ken Braddock/Donna Romero: 118 F.3d 576 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 2: 96-1681: USA v. Stephen Matthew Hommer
Folder 3: 96-1691: USA v. Norvell Daniels: 99 F.3d 1144 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 4: 96-1758/96-1760: USA v. Kenneth Wendell Jones/Jeffrey Lane Barnes: 101 F.3d 1263 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 5: 96-1770: Brianna Stephenson v. Davenport Community School District, etc.: 110 F.3d 1303 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 6: 96-1775: USA v. Lyle Robert Paton: 110 F.3d 562 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 7: 96-1786: USA v. Keith Hawkins: 102 F.3d 973 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 8: 96-1828: USA v. Stacy Lynn Olguin: 99 F.3d 1144 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 9: 96-1887: Jame W. Lawson v. USA: 103 F.3d 59 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 10: 96-2030: USA v. Scott A. Schneider: 94 F.3d 649 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 11: 96-2037: Guidry Cablevision, etc. v. City of Ballwin: 117 F.3d 383 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 12: 96-2050: Michael Williams v. Mike Bowersox: 108 F.3d 1383 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 13: 96-2055/96-2138/96-2177: USA v. David Lester Fairchild/Kirk Allen Pierce/James Lee Leisinger: 122 F.3d 605 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 14: 96-2102: Patricia A. Lawrence v. Shirley S. Chater, etc.: 107 F.3d 674 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 15: 96-2129: Robert Mann v. Lawrence Lewis, et al.: 108 F.3d 145 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 16: 96-2142: Dennis Belec v. Hayssen Manufacturing Company, etc.: 105 F.3d 406 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 17: 96-2199: Glen Wood, etc. v. Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company: 112 F.3d 306 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 18: 96-2207: Popkin & Stern, Debtor, etc. v. Robert J. Blackwell, etc.: 105 F.3d 1248 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 19: 96-2209: USA v. Virgil Owens: 101 F.3d 559 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 20: 96-2253: Ruth A. Kisling v. Shirley S. Chater, etc.: 105 F.3d 1255 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 21: 96-2255: USA v. Edward Allen Williams
Folder 22: 96-2378: USA v. John Mitchell Morrow: 97 F.3d 1457 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 23: 96-2381: USA v. Jeffery Kosiba
Folder 24: 96-2390: USA v. Terri A. Payseno: 104 F.3d 191 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 25: 96-2462: Dianna L. Hall v. Shirley S. Chater, etc.: 109 F.3d 1255 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 26: 96-2475: USA v. Terry A. Collins: 104 F.3d 143 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 27: 96-2499: Norma J. Knox v. City of Garden City, Missouri: 108 F.3d 1382 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 28: 96-2533: Luebertha Ingram v. Shirley S. Chater, etc.: 107 F.3d 598 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 29: 96-2548/96-2766: Package Service Company, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board/United Steelworkers of America: 113 F.3d 845 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 30: 96-2583: USA v. Maude C. Clarke: 110 F.3d 612 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 31: 96-2649: USA v. Bruce Raymond Swinton: 97 F.3d 1457 (8th Cir. 1996)
Folder 32: 96-2666: USA v. James Hubert Cain, Jr.: 128 F.3d 1249 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 33: 96-2701: Edward Allen Moore v. Ernest-Jackson, D.D.S., et al.: 123 F.3d 1082 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 34: 96-2786: USA v. James Franklin Rounsavall: 115 F.3d 561 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 35: 96-2882: Robert L. Mason, Jr. v. International Paper Company: 116 F.3d 1484 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 36: 96-3370: Dallas Ray Delay v. James H. Crosby, et al.: 116 F.3d 480 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 37: 96-3581 USA v. Jimmy Franklin Luttrell: 116 F.3d 481 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 38: 96-3830/96-4127: USA v. Anthony Luciano Santonelli: 128 F.3d 1233 (8th Cir. 1998)
Folder 39: 96-3926: Douglas W. Thompson v. Federal Bureau of Investigation
Folder 40: 96-3987: Danny D. Goodroad v. John H. Fitzgerald, Jr., et al.
Folder 41: 96-3909/97-1160: Tommy E. Delph v. Dr. Pepper Bottling Co. of Paragould, Inc.: 130 F.3d 349 (8th Cir. 1998)
Folder 42: 96-4118: Eric D. Clemmons v. Paul K. Delo: 177 F.3d 680 (8th Cir. 1999)
Folder 43: 96-4143/96-4144: USA v. Errol Douglas Cain/Paul Stephen Cain: 134 F.3d 1345 (8th Cir. 1998)
Folder 44: 96-4206: Gabriel Chehadeh, etc. v. Roffe Conainers, Inc., etc.: 133 F.3d 921 (8th Cir. 1997)
Folder 45: 96-4265: Gabriel Chehadeh, etc. v. Roffe Containers, Inc., etc.: 133 F.3d 921 (8th Cir. 1997)

Box 113

Folder 1: 96-2993: Benjamin Gary Triestman v. USA (2nd Circuit)
Folder 2: 97-3722: Bruce Hayes v. Philip Coombe, Jr., etc. (2nd Circuit): 142 F.3d 517 (2d Cir. 1998)
Folder 3: 96-2090: Derrick Dale Fontroy v. David S. Owens, et al. (3rd Circuit): 150 F.3d 239 (3d Cir. 1998)
Folder 4: 96-7720: USA v. Richard Eugene Fudesco (3rd Circuit): 156 F.3d 1226 (3d Cir. 1998)
Folder 5: 96-2239: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Stella Steffey (6th Circuit)
Folder 6: 96-2533: USA v. Ronald Carl Wall, Jr. (6th Circuit): 130 F.3d 739 (6th Cir. 1997)
Folder 7: 96-3553: Robert Lee Norris v. James Schotten (6th Circuit): 146 F.3d 314 (6th Cir. 1998)
Folder 8: 96-4024: Larry J. McClatchey, etc. v. Clarence M. Parsons (6th Circuit)
Folder 9: 96-4094: Marilyn Buckholz v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (6th Circuit): 129 F.3d 868 (6th Cir. 1997)
Folder 10: 96-4113: Miller v. Union Township (6th Circuit)
Folder 11: 96-5343: USA v. Samuel Tolley (6th Circuit)
Folder 12: 96-5852: USA v. Kenneth R. Moore (6th Circuit): 131 F.3d 595 (6th Cir. 1997)
Folder 13: 96-507/96-5994: Brenda Buntin v. Breathitt County Board of Education, et al. (6th Circuit): 134 F.3d 796 (6th Cir. 1998)
Folder 14: 96-6225/96-6338: Compuware Corporation v. National Labor Relations Board (6th Circuit): 134 F.3d 1285 (6th Cir. 1998)
Folder 15: 96-6324: USA v. Gordon J. Baird, Jr. (6th Circuit): 134 F.3d 1276 (6th Cir. 1998)
Folder 16: 96-6336: Melissa Vaughn, et al. v. USA (6th Circuit)
Folder 17: 96-10515: USA v. Ashley Vance Townsend (9th Circuit): 139 F.3d 909 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 18: (1/2) 96-16034/92-04339: Charles Sementilli v. Trinidad Coproration/Trinidad Corporation v. Stephen H. Taus (9th Circuit): 162 F.3d 1015 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 19: (2/2) 96-16034/92-04339: Charles Sementilli v. Trinidad Coproration/Trinidad Corporation v. Stephen H. Taus (9th Circuit): 162 F.3d 1015 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 20: 96-16423: Estate of Mark Adams, et al. v. James Gomez, et al. (9th Circuit): 133 F.3d 926 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 21: 96-16503/96-17252: Alexander Damascus, D.D.S. v. Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company, etc. (9th Circuit)
Folder 22: 96-17239: Nathaniel Watkins v. City of Oakland, Calfornia, et al. (9th Circuit): 145 F.3d 1087 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 23: 96-17291: Jean Michel Errecart, et al. v. Department of Transportation, etc. (9th Circuit): 133 F.3d 926 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 24: 96-17292: James A. Kuhn, et al. v. Lockheed Aeromod Center Incorporated, etc. (9th Circuit): 134 F.3d 378 (9th Cir. 1998)
Folder 25: 96-55642: Robert S. Winet, et al. v. Samuel R. Biggs (9th Circuit)
Folder 26: 96-2668: USA v. Scott Arthur Moore (11th Circuit)

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