Dallin H. Oaks
Dallin Harris Oaks (born August 12, 1932) is an American attorney, jurist, author, professor, public speaker, and religious leader who has been the 18th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2025. Since 1984, he has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Oaks was born on August 12, 1932, in Provo, Utah, to Stella (née Harris) and Lloyd Edress Oaks.[1][2] He spent some time in Twin Falls, Idaho. He studied at Brigham Young University and the University of Chicago.
He was president of Brigham Young University (BYU) from 1971 to 1980. He was a professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School. Oaks was a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 to 1984. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Oaks was thought to be a candidate to be an associate justice to the United States Supreme Court by Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.[3][4]
In 1952, Oaks married June Dixon. They had six children. Dixon died in 1998. Oaks then married Kristen Meredith McMain in 2000.
In January 2018, Oaks became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after Russell M. Nelson became President of the LDS Church.
In October 2025, Oaks became the 18th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[5]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Flake, Lawrence K. (2001). Prophets and Apostles of the Last Dispensation. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. pp. 535–538. ISBN 1573457973.
- ↑ Oaks, Dallin H. "The Witness:Martin Harris - Dallin H. Oaks". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ↑ Yalof, David Alistair. Pursuit of Justices: Presidential Politics and the Selection of Supreme Court Justices (2001), p. 127-128.
- ↑ Gehrke, Robert (August 18, 2005), "LDS apostle was studied for '81 court", Salt Lake Tribune
- ↑ "Dallin H. Oaks Named President of the Mormon Church". The New York Times. October 14, 2025. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
Other websites
[change | change source]- Dallin H. Oaks, official church biography.
- Dallin H. Oaks, Mormon Newsroom Leader Biographies.
- Dallin H. Oaks, short biography.
- Dallin H. Oaks Archived 2015-06-24 at the Wayback Machine, Dallin H. Oaks, BYU President
- Dallin H. Oaks Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, Grampa Bill's G.A. (General Authority) Pages.
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