Alfred Theodore Goodwin (born June 29, 1923 in Bellingham, Washington) is a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He was chief judge of that court in 1988-91.

Education and professional career

Goodwin attended the University of Oregon (B.A. 1947, J.D. 1951). While in college, he served a Captain the United States Army during World War II. After law school, Goodwin worked as an attorney for five years in Eugene, Oregon. He then served in the Oregon state courts, first on the Circuit Court (1955-60), and then on the Supreme Court of Oregon (1960-69). Goodwin was appointed March 18, 1960, by Oregon Governor Mark Hatfield to replace the outgoing Hall S. Lusk, who was then appointed to the United States Senate, a position Hatfield would later be elected to in 1966. Meanwhile Goodwin was then elected to a full six-year term later in 1960 and won re-election in 1966 before resigning from the Oregon Supreme Court December 19, 1969, to take a federal judicial position.

Federal judicial service

Goodwin was nominated to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon by president Richard Nixon on September 22, 1969, to a seat vacated by John F. Kilkenny. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 10, 1969, and received his commission on December 11, 1969.

Goodwin was nominated to the Ninth Circuit by Nixon, on November 3, 1971, to a seat vacated once again by John Kilkenny. He was confirmed by the Senate on November 23, 1971, received his commission on November 30, 1971, and served as chief judge from 1988 until he assumed senior status on January 31, 1991.

Goodwin wrote the majority opinion for the Ninth Circuit in the famous pledge of allegiance case that was then decided by the U.S. Supreme Court as Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow.