Betty Roberts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court | |
| In office 1982–1986 | |
| Appointed by | Victor Atiyeh |
| Preceded by | Thomas Tongue |
| Succeeded by | Michael Gillette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 5, 1923 Arkansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | June 25, 2011 (aged 88) Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Bill Rice (1942–1959) Frank Roberts (1960–1965) Keith Skelton (1968–1995) |
| Education | Texas Wesleyan University Eastern Oregon University Portland State University (BA) University of Oregon (MA) Lewis and Clark College (JD) |
Betty Cantrell Roberts (February 5, 1923 – June 25, 2011) was an American politician and judge from the U.S. state of Oregon. She was the 83rd justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. She was the first woman to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court, and had also been the first woman on the Oregon Court of Appeals. Roberts served from 1982 to 1986 on the high court and from 1977 to 1982 on the Court of Appeals.
A native of Kansas and raised in Texas, Roberts had previously been elected to both chambers of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, but lost bids for the governor's office and the United States Senate, both in 1974. She was married three times, including to Frank L. Roberts and Keith Skelton, both of whom she would serve with in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. She was a private mediator and senior judge until her death due to pulmonary fibrosis.