Dallin Harris Oaks

He is a native of Provo, Utah (born in 1932). He and his late wife, June Dixon Oaks, are the parents of six children. She died July 21, 1998. On August 25, 2000, he married Kristen M. McMain in the Salt Lake Temple.

Elder Oaks is a graduate of Brigham Young University (1954) and of The University of Chicago Law School (1957). He practiced law and taught law in Chicago. He was president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship.

He has been an officer or member of the board of many business, educational, and charitable organizations. He is the author or co-author of many books and articles on religious and legal subjects.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since May 1984.

Books that he has written include:
With Full Purpose of Heart: Collection of Messages by Dallin H. Oaks
Pure in Heart
Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith
The Lord's Way
Cases and Text on the Law of Trusts (University Casebook Series)
His Holy Name
Trust Doctrines in Church Controversies
Religious freedom and the Supreme Court (Ethics and public policy reprint)
Wall Between Church and State
Criminal Justice System and the Indigent: Study of Chicago and Cook County
The missionary work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Elder Oaks Reviews President Ezra Taft Benson's Central Message as President of the Church, focusing on his encouragement to make stury of the Book of Mormon a continual process in order to avoid condemnation
Reading Church history
The historicity of the Book of Mormon
[Miscellaneous publications]
"A private university looks at government regulation"
Unruly laws for lawmakers: [address]
The effects of Griffin v. Illinois on the States' administration of the criminal law (Council of State Governments. BX-308)
The popular myth of the victimless crime (Commissioner's lecture series)
Recent events involving Church history and forged documents
Trust Doctrines in Church Controversies


Books about him include
Utah Supreme Court Justices: Dallin H. Oaks, Charles S. Zane, William H. King, Michael Zimmerman, Michael J. Wilkins
People From Provo, Utah: Julianne Hough, George W. Pace, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Marvin S. Hill, Reuben D. Law, Dallin H. Oaks, Stew Morrill