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THE GENERAL COUNSEL LEADING THE CHARGE
THE GENERAL COUNSEL LEADING THE CHARGE
Daniel Zene Crowe has been retained to lead OASTL’s expanded legal offensive against the State of Oregon. A battle-tested litigator and former Army Judge Advocate (JAG), Mr. Crowe brings a unique combination of forensic aggression and constitutional expertise to the fight for our schoolchildren.
Background & Expertise
Constitutional Litigator: Daniel is a nationally recognized advocate for constitutional rights, having successfully challenged state institutions in federal court (most notably in Crowe v. Oregon State Bar). He is not afraid to take on the State’s most powerful agencies.
Military Leadership: A West Point graduate, Army Ranger, and retired Lieutenant Colonel, Daniel served as a JAG officer for over a decade. He applies this same disciplined, tactical approach to civil litigation.
Public Service: Daniel previously served as Oregon’s inaugural Veterans’ Advocate and has sat on the Mt. Angel School Board, giving him a personal understanding of the budget crises facing our local schools.
The Strategy: A "Pincer Movement" Building on the foundational victory secured by attorney Natalie Scott, Mr. Crowe is executing a two-front legal strategy to force the State’s hand:
The Broad Front (Constitutional Challenge): Leveraging our recent Court of Appeals victory to establish that the State has violated its fiduciary duties to all Oregon students.
The Precision Strike (Forensic Investigation): Launching a targeted legal discovery process to expose the specific accounting failures and mismanagement of the Common School Fund.
"We are no longer just arguing policy; we are demanding the math. The State acts as a trustee for our children, and a trustee cannot hide the numbers from the beneficiaries. We will get the truth." — Daniel Zene Crowe
Daniel Zene Crowe General Counsel, Oregon Advocates for School Trust Lands
Laura Cooper, OSB# 863589 Ms. Cooper serves on the Oregon Advocates for School Trust Lands Board of Directors. She was admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.
Board of Director's Perspective
Board of Director's Perspective
As an attorney, you rarely see a constitutional question this clean and ready for adjudication. The State has formally denied a 150-year-old compact, creating a perfect storm for a sharp litigator.
— Laura Cooper, OSB# 863589
The Opportunity: Our Case Has Established Viability
The Opportunity: Our Case Has Established Viability
This Is a Landmark Case. The Court Has Cleared the Path.
This Is a Landmark Case. The Court Has Cleared the Path.
This is not a theoretical lawsuit. We have successfully navigated the procedural gauntlet. The preliminary legal battles have been won. The remaining fight is on pure trust law, constitutional interpretation, and remedies.
Key Judicial Rulings:
Standing is Established: The court affirmed standing for school districts, students, and parents to proceed (March 6, 2025 Letter Opinion, p. 4-5).
Case is Viable: The court denied the State's motion to dismiss claims related to 2024 breaches of trust (March 6, 2025 Letter Opinion, p. 3-4).
Authority to Sue Affirmed: The court rejected the State's argument that only the Attorney General can bring these claims (September 5, 2025 Letter Opinion, p. 1-2).
Immunity Arguments Denied: The court has denied the State's arguments for sovereign and discretionary immunity on the core claims (September 5, 2025 Letter Opinion, p. 3).
Core Legal Challenge: Systemic, Billion-Dollar Breach
Core Legal Challenge: Systemic, Billion-Dollar Breach
Legal Foundation
Legal Foundation
At statehood, Oregon accepted 3.8 million acres in a binding, irrevocable trust for the exclusive benefit of public schools (First Amended Complaint, p. 4). The Constitution and Admissions Act impose a clear fiduciary duty. (First Amended Complaint, ¶26).
The Fiduciary Breach: The State has inverted this sacred trust.
The Fiduciary Breach: The State has inverted this sacred trust.
Breach of Prudence: The trust is now operating at a net loss (First Amended Complaint, ¶23). Mismanagement of the Elliott State Forest and other lands has cost the Common School Fund over $1 billion (Case for Support, p. 1-3).
Breach of Loyalty: The State Land Board has prioritized political agendas over its sole duty to schoolchildren, transferring trust land without fair appraisals (First Amended Complaint, ¶22) and approving budgets that knowingly produce negative revenue (First Amended Complaint, ¶23).
The "Smoking Gun" – The State's Formal Denial
The "Smoking Gun" – The State's Formal Denial
"In its formal Answer filed October 24, 2025, the State explicitly argued it 'does not owe Plaintiffs the duties alleged'. This denies the very existence of an enforceable trust and is the central crisis that must be litigated."
The Evidence Locker: Review the Key Documents
The Evidence Locker: Review the Key Documents
The "Smoking Gun": State's "No Duty" Defense (Oct 2025)
Summary: The State's formal Answer explicitly denying all fiduciary duties.
The First Amended Complaint (Apr 2025)
Summary: The full complaint detailing the breaches of fiduciary duty, constitutional claims, and plaintiffs.
The Full Case: Oregon's Constitutional Duties to Schools
Summary: A comprehensive background book on the legal and historical foundation of the Common School Fund.
Court Order Affirming Plaintiff Standing (Mar 2025)
Summary: The court's initial opinion affirming standing for schools and students and allowing 2024 claims to proceed.
Court Order Denying State's MTD (Sept 2025)
Summary: Judge Combs's opinion affirming plaintiffs' authority to sue and denying the State's immunity arguments.
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