List of first minority male lawyers and judges in California explained

This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in California. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.

Firsts in state history

Law school

• You Chung Hong^{[1] [2]} (1923): First Chinese American male law graduate in California (1925)

Lawyers

• John Rollin Ridge (Yellow Bird) (c. 1840s):^[3] First Native American (Cherokee) lawyer in California
• R.C.O. Benjamin (1884):^{[4] [5]} First African American male lawyer in California
• Hong Yen Chang (1888):^[6] First Chinese American male lawyer in the U.S., but was denied the right to practice law in California^[7]
• Washington J. Oglesby (1902):^{[8] [9]} First African American male to pass the California State Bar exam in 1896, but was refused bar admittance until 1902
• Theodore Grady (1897):^[10] First deaf male lawyer in California
• Charles S. Darden (1906):^{[11] [12] [13]} First African American male lawyer to argue a case before the Supreme Court of California (c. 1920s)
• Ponciano Reyes (1907):^[14] First Filipino male admitted to the State Bar of California^[15]
• Oscar Hudson (1911):^{[16] [17]} First African American male admitted to the State Bar of California
• Chan Chung Wing (1918):^{[18] [19]} First Chinese American male lawyer to pass the California Bar exam
• Kenji Ito (1945):^{[20] [21]} First Japanese American male lawyer post-WWII in California
• Cruz Reynoso (1959): First Latino American male admitted to the State Bar of California
• Paul C. Lo (1994):^[22] First Hmong American male admitted to the State Bar of California
• Sergio C. Garcia (2014):^[23] First undocumented immigrant male admitted to the State Bar of California

Judicial officers

State

Justice of the Peace

• Charles S. Darden (1906): First African American male to seek a judgeship in California (he was nominated for the police court in 1906, though he would withdraw from the nomination).
• Oscar Overr:^{[24] [25]} First African American to serve as a Justice of the Peace in California (1914)

Judges

• Henry A. Lyons:^[26] First Jewish American judge in California (upon his appointment to the California Supreme Court in 1849)
• Edwin L. Jefferson (1931):^[27] First African American male judge in California (1941)
• Carlos Teran:^[28] First Mexican American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court in California (1959)
• Leopoldo Sanchez:^[29] First Mexican American male elected as a judge in California (1960)
• Ralph Moradian (1934):^[30] First male of Armenian descent to become a judge in California (1963)
• David W. Williams (1937):^[31] He was considered "the first African-American federal judge west of the Mississippi."^[32] (1969)
• John Aiso (1941):^{[33] [34] [35] [36]} First Japanese American male judge in California (1952)
• Delbert E. Wong (1948):^{[37] [38] [39]} First Chinese American male judge in California (1959)
• Allen Broussard (1954):^[40] First African American male judge to serve as the President of the California Judges Association (1972)
• Stephen Lachs (1963):^[41] First openly LGBT male judge in California (1979)
• Kenneth Chang (1963):^[42] First Korean American male judge in California (1980)
• Fred W. Gabourie (1965):^{[43] [44] [45]} First Native American (Seneca people) male judge in California (1976)
• Mel Red Recana (1974):^{[46] [47]} First Filipino American male judge in California (1981)
• Thang Nguyen Barrett (1988):^{[48] [49]} First Vietnamese American male judge in California (1997)
• Paul C. Lo (1994):^[50] First Hmong American male judge in California (2013)
• Firdaus Dordi (1996):^[51] First Zoroastrian male judge in California (2017)
• Halim Dhanidina (1997):^[52] First Muslim American male judge in California (2012)
• Aruna P. Rodrigo (2008):^{[53] [54]} First Sri Lankan American male judge in California (2021)

Appellate Court

• Cruz Reynoso (1959):^[55] First Latino American male appointed to the California Court of Appeal (1976)
• Stephen K. Tamura:^{[56] [57]} First Japanese American male appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in California (1966)
• Rosendo Peña (1980):^[58] First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeals in California (2012)
• Jim Humes (c. 1983):^[59] First openly LGBT male appointed as a Judge of the California Court of Appeals (2012)
• Richard T. Fields (1983):^[60] First African American male appointed as a Judge of the Fourth District Court of Appeals in California (2016)
• Luis A. Lavin (1985):^[61] First openly LGBT male appointed as a Judge of the Second District Court of Appeals in California (2015)
• M. Bruce Smith (1988):^[62] First African American male appointed as a Judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeals in California (2014)
• Miguel Márquez (1996):^{[63] [64]} First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the Sixth District Court of Appeals in California (2012)
• Gabriel P. Sanchez:^[65] First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the First District Court of Appeals in California (2018)
• Maurice Sanchez:^[66] First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the Third District Court of Appeal in California (2022)

Supreme Court

• Henry A. Lyons

^[67] First Jewish American male to serve as a Justice (1849) and Chief Justice (1852) of the California Supreme Court

• Solomon Heydenfeldt

^[68] First Jewish American male elected as a Justice of the California Supreme Court (1852)

• Wiley Manuel (1954):^{[69] [70]} First African American male appointed as a Justice of the California Supreme Court (1977)
• Cruz Reynoso (1959):^[71] First Latino American male appointed as a Justice of the California Supreme Court (1981)
• Martin Jenkins (1981):^{[72] [73]} First openly LGBT (African-American) male appointed as a Justice of the California Supreme Court (2020)

Federal

District Court

• Manuel Real

^[74] First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (1966)

• Earl Ben Gilliam (1957):^{[75] [76]} First African American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California (1980)
• Robert Aguilar (1958):^{[77] [78] [79]} First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (1980)
• Raul Anthony Ramirez

^[80] First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (1980)

• Dickran Tevrizian (1965):^[81] First male of Armenian descent to become a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (1985)
• Ronald S. W. Lew (1971):^{[82] [83]} First Chinese American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (1987)
• Thelton Henderson (1962):^[84] First African American male appointed as the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (1990)
• Garland Ellis Burrell Jr. (1976):^[85] First African American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (1991)
• Robert Mitsuhiro Takasugi

^[86] First Japanese American male to serve as Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (1996)

• Edward M. Chen (1980):^{[87] [88]} First Asian American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (2011)
• Michael W. Fitzgerald (1985):^{[89] [90]} First openly LGBT male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (2012)
• Vijay Gandhi (1997):^[91] First Indian American male judge appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (2010)
• Vince Chhabria (1998):^[92] First Indian American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (2014)
• Steve B. Chu:^[93] First Asian American male to serve as a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California (2023)
• P. Casey Pitts

^[94] First openly gay male to serve as a Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (2023)

Bankruptcy Court

• Robert Kwan:^[95] First male of Chinese ancestry to serve as a Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California (2007)

Circuit Court

• Arthur Alarcón

^{[96] [97]} First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California (1979)

Federal Public Defender

• Cuauhtemoc Ortega:^[98] First Latino and openly gay male to serve as the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California (c. 2018)

Attorney General

• Stanley Mosk:^[99] First Jewish American male appointed as the Attorney General of California (1959)
• Xavier Becerra (1985):^[100] First Latino American male appointed as the Attorney General of California (2017)
• Rob Bonta (1999):^[101] First Filipino American male appointed as the Attorney General of California (2021)^[102]

Deputy Attorney General

• Delbert E. Wong (1948):^{[103] [38] [39]} First Chinese American male appointed as a Deputy Attorney General in California (1952)

Assistant Attorney General

• Franklin Williams:^[104] First African American male to serve as the Assistant Attorney General of California (1959)

United States Attorney

• Cecil F. Poole (1939):^{[105] [106]} First African American male to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California (1961)
• André Birotte Jr. (1991):^[107] First African American male U.S. Attorney for the Central District (2010). He would later become a district court judge.

District Attorney

• Christopher W. Smith (1959):^{[108] [109]} First African American male to serve as a District Attorney in California (1977-1981)

City Attorney

• Mikio Uchiyama (1953):^[110] First Japanese American male to serve as a City Attorney in California

Political office

• Charles Calderon (1976):^[111] First Hispanic American male lawyer to become a Senate Majority Leader in California (1996)

Bar Association

• Samuel L. Williams:^{[112] [113]} First African American male to serve as the President of the State Bar of California (1981)
• Luis Rodriguez:^{[114] [115]} First Latino American male to serve as the President of the State Bar of California (2013)
• Michael Colantuono:^[116] First openly LGBT male to serve as the President of the State Bar of California (2017)
• Jason Lee:^[117] First Chinese American male to serve as the President of the State Bar of California (2018)
• Ronald E. Albers:^[118] First openly LGBT male to serve as the Vice-President of the State Bar of California

Firsts in local history

Alphabetized by county name

Region

• Lewis A. Franklin (1853):^[119] First Jewish male lawyer in Southern California (c. 1850s) (specifically San Diego, California)
• Wayne M. Kanemoto (1943):^{[120] [121] [122]} First Japanese American male judge in Northern California (Santa Clara County, California; 1962)
• Cecil F. Poole (1939): First African American male to serve as a federal judge in Northern California (1976)
• Mikio Uchiyama (1953):^{[123] [124] [125]} First Japanese American male judge in Central California (Fresno County, California; 1968)
• Edward M. Chen (1980): First Asian American male federal district court judge in Northern California's history
• Sunil Kulkarni (1996):^[126] First South Asian American male judge in Northern California (2013)

Alameda County

• James Wilson: First African American male to apply for admittance to the Alameda County Bar Association. He was denied entry.
• Washington J. Oglesby:^[127] Admitted to practice in 1897, he is one of the first African American attorneys to practice law in the City of Oakland, Alameda County, California.
• Motoyuki Negoro

^[128] First Japanese male to graduate with a degree from the UC Berkeley School of Law (1907). He was unable to practice law due to being a resident alien.

• Lawrence Sledge (1908):^[129] An early African American male lawyer who practiced law in the City of Oakland, Alameda County, California, around 1908.
• Walter Gordon

^[130] First African American male law graduate from the University of California, Berkeley (1922) [Alameda County, California]

• Lionel Wilson (1950):^{[131] [132]} First African American male judge in Alameda County, California (1960)
• Carl Metoyer (1953):^[133] First African American male to serve as the President of the Alameda County Bar Association (1970)
• Ming Chin (1967):^[134] First Asian American male to serve as the President of the Alameda County Bar Association (c. 1987)
• Ken M. Kawaichi:^{[135] [136]} First Asian American male judge in Alameda County, California (1980)
• Carlos Ynostroza (1969):^[137] First Latino American male judge in Alameda County, California (1980)
• Keith H. Fudenna (1974):^[138] First Asian American male appointed as a Judge of the Municipal Court to the Fremont-Newark-Union City Municipal Court (Alameda County, California; 1997)
• Tom Reardon:^[139] First openly LGBT male to serve as a Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court (c. 1998)
• Brendon Woods:^[140] First African American male to serve as the Public Defender of Alameda County (2012)
• Somnath Raj Chatterjee (1995):^{[141] [142]} First South Asian male appointed as a Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court (2017)

Alpine County

• Christopher W. Smith (1959): First African American male to serve as a District Attorney in Alpine County, California (1977-1981)

Butte County

• Jesus A. Rodriguez:^{[143] [144]} First Latino American male judge in Butte County, California (2018)

Contra Costa County

• George Carroll (1954):^{[145] [146]} First African American male lawyer in Richmond, California. He would later become the first African American male judge in Contra Costa County, California (1965).
• Henry Alvarado (1896):^[147] First Hispanic American male judge in Contra Costa County, California (1923)
• Christopher W. Bowen:^[148] First openly LGBT male appointed as a Judge of Contra Costa County Superior Court (2010)
• Benjamin T. Reyes III (1993):^{[149] [150]} First Filipino American male appointed as a Judge of Contra Costa County Superior Court (2017)

Fresno County

• Hugh W. Goodwin (1949):^{[151] [152]} First African American male lawyer (c. 1950s) and judge in Fresno County, California (1976)
• Tom Okawara:^[153] First Japanese American male lawyer in Fresno County, California
• Armando Rodriguez (1965):^[154] First Latino American male judge in Fresno County, California (1975)
• Simon Marootian

^[30] First male of Armenian descent to become a Judge of the Superior Court of Fresno County (1975)

• Mikio Uchiyama (1953): First Japanese American male judge in Fresno County, California. He was also the first Japanese American male to become the City Attorney for Fowler, California.

Imperial County

• Cruz Reynoso (1959): First Latino American male lawyer to register with the Imperial County Bar Association
• Matias R. Contreras:^[155] First Latino American male judge in Imperial County, California (upon his appointment to the municipal court in 1980)
• Marco D. Nunez (2002):^[156] First openly LGBT male judge in Imperial County, California (2016)

Kern County

• Gregory A. Pulskamp: First Muslim male appointed as a Judge of the Kern County Superior Court, California (2018)

Kings County

• Thomas DeSantos:^[157] First Hispanic American male to serve as a Judge of the Kings County Superior Court (2003)

Los Angeles County

• Manuel Clemente Rojo:^[158] First Latino (Peruvian-born) lawyer in Los Angeles County, California (1848)
• Agustín Olvera

^{[159] [160]} First (Mexican) male to serve as a Judge of the Court of Sessions for the newly-formed Los Angeles County (1850)

• Francisco P. Ramirez (1869):^[161] First Mexican American male lawyer in Los Angeles County, California
• Ygnacio Sepúlveda

^[162] First (Mexican-born) male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (1879)

• R. C. O. Benjamin (1884): First African American male lawyer in Los Angeles, California
• Clarence B. Thomas:^[163] First African American male to graduate from USC Gould School of Law (1904) [Los Angeles County, California]
• Sei Fujii

^[164] First Japanese-born male to graduate from USC Gould School of Law (1911) [Los Angeles County, California]

• James M. Alexander:^[165] First African American male to matriculate at the University of Southern California (1915) [Los Angeles County, California]
• You Chung Hong (1923): First Chinese American male law graduate from the University of Southern California (1925) [Los Angeles County, California]
• Leon Whitaker (1928):^{[166] [167] [168]} First African American male to serve as the Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, California (c. 1930s)
• Alfred Paonessa:^[169] First Italian American male judge in Los Angeles County (upon his appointment to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1931)
• Thomas L. Griffith (1931):^[170] First African American male lawyer admitted to the Los Angeles Bar Association (1950)
• John Aiso (1941): First Japanese American male judge in Los Angeles County, California (1952)
• Delbert E. Wong (1948):^{[38] [39]} First Chinese American male judge Los Angeles County, California (1959)
• Carlos Teran:^[171] First Mexican American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court in Los Angeles County, California (1959). He was also the first Mexican American male appointed as a municipal court judge in East Los Angeles (1957).
• Leopoldo Sanchez: First Mexican American male elected as a municipal court judge in Los Angeles County, California (1960)
• Marcus O. Tucker (1962):^[172] First African American male to serve as a Judge of the Long Beach Municipal Court (1976)
• Fred W. Gabourie (1965): First Native American (Seneca people) male judge in Los Angeles County, California (1976)
• Samuel L. Williams

First African American male to serve as the President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (1977)^[173]

• Johnnie Cochran (1963):^[174] First African American male to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Los Angeles County, California (1978)
• Stephen Lachs (1963):^[41] First openly LGBT male judge in Los Angeles County, California (1979)
• Mel Red Recana (1974): First Filipino American male judge in Los Angeles County, California (1981)
• Richard Paez (1972):^[175] First Mexican American male to serve as a federal judge in Los Angeles (1994)
• Rocky Delgadillo: First Latino American male to serve as the City Attorney for Los Angeles (2001)
• Rand Schrader:^[176] First openly LGBT male lawyer to work for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office
• Firdaus Dordi: First Zoroastrian male judge in Los Angeles County, California (2017)
• Ricardo García

^[177] First Latino American male to serve as the Public Defender for Los Angeles County, California (2018)

• Kevin Brazile (1984):^[178] First African American male to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court (2019)
• John W. Patton, Jr.:^[179] First African American male to serve as the President of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Los Angeles County (1997)
• Eric Webber:^[180] First openly LGBT male to serve as the President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (c. 2013)
• Roy Jimenez:^[181] First Latino American male to serve as the Co-President of the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles

Marin County

• William H. Stephens (1967):^[182] First African American male judge in Marin County, California (c. 1979-1999)
• Mark Andrew Talamantes (1997):^[183] First Latino American male judge in Marin County, California (2012)
• Jose Varela:^[184] First Latino American male appointed as the Public Defender for Marin County, California

Merced County

• Paul C. Lo (1994): First Hmong American male judge in Merced County, California (2013)
• Marc A. Garcia (1995):^{[185] [186]} First Latino American male judge in Merced County, California (2007)

Monterey County

• Albert Maldonado (1974):^[187] First Latino American male judge in Monterey County, California (1995)
• Efren N. Iglesia:^[188] First Filipino American male judge in Monterey County, California (2007). He was also considered the first Filipino male judge in the tri-county area of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties.^[189]

Orange County

• James O. Perez (1956):^{[190] [191]} First Latino American male lawyer and judge in Orange County, California
• Stephen K. Tamura:^[192] First Japanese American (and Asian American in general) male lawyer, county counsel and Superior Court Judge in Orange County, California.
• John Nho Trong Nguyen:^[193] First Vietnamese American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of Orange County (2000)
• Mena Guirguis:^[194] First Arab American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of Orange County (2024)
• Frank Ospino: First Hispanic American male to serve as the Public Defender for Orange County, California

Placer County

• Michael W. Jones: First Latino American male appointed as a Judge of the Placer County Superior Court, California (2012)
• Garen J. Horst:^[195] First Jewish American male appointed as a Judge of the Placer County Superior Court, California (2012)
• Todd D. Irby:^[196] First African American male appointed as a Judge of the Placer County Superior Court, California (2018)

Riverside County

• Richard Fields:^[197] First African American male judge in Riverside County, California (2000)
• Jack Lucky:^[198] First Asian American male (who is of Korean descent) judge in Riverside County, California (2008)
• Godofredo (O.G.) Magno:^[199] First Filipino American male appointed as a Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court, California (2017)

Sacramento County

• Nathaniel Colley (1948):^[200] First African American male lawyer in Sacramento, Sacramento County, California
• Mamoru Sakuma (1950):^{[201] [202]} First Asian American male (Japanese American) judge in Sacramento County, California (1963)
• Gary E. Ransom (1974):^[203] First African American male to work as an Assistant Public Defender for Sacramento County's Public Defender's Office (1974)
• Lorenzo Patino:^[204] First Latino American male to serve as a municipal court judge in Sacramento County, California
• Joginder Dhillon:^[205] First Sikh male appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of Sacramento (2018)
• Daniel J. Calabretta:^[206] First openly LGBT male appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of Sacramento (2019)
• Thien Ho:^{[207] [208]} First Asian American male (of Vietnamese descent) to serve as the District Attorney for Sacramento County (2022)

San Benito County

• Alfredo A. Garcia:^[209] First Hispanic American male judge in San Benito County, California
• Efren N. Iglesia: First Filipino American male judge appointed in the tri-county area of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties. He served on the bench, however, in Monterey County, California.

San Bernardino County

• Michael A. Ramos

^[210] First Hispanic American male to serve as the District Attorney for San Bernardino County, California (2002)

• Winston S. Keh:^[211] First Filipino American male appointed as a Judge of the San Bernardino County Superior Court, California (2017)
• Aruna P. Rodrigo (2008): First Sri Lankan American male appointed as a Judge of the San Bernardino County Superior Court, California (2021)

San Diego County

• Joseph H. Stuart:^[212] First African American male lawyers in San Diego County, California (1890)
• Duane E. Bennett:^{[213] [214] [215]} First African American male to become the City Attorney for Oceanside, San Diego County, California
• Ataulfo “A.F.” Molina (1923):^{[216] [217]} First Latino American male judge in San Diego County, California (1941)
• Earl Ben Gilliam (1957): First African American male judge in San Diego County, California (1963)
• James D. Floyd (1968): First African American male to graduate from the University of San Diego School of Law (1966)
• Ernest Borunda:^[218] First Hispanic American male judge in the South Bay judicial district in San Diego County (1979)
• Fred W. Alvarez:^[219] First Latino American male to serve as the President of the Bar Association of San Francisco (2000)
• Jesus "Jesse" Rodriguez:^[220] First Hispanic American male to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for San Diego County, California (2003)
• Ted Weathers:^[221] First openly LGBT male judge in San Diego County, California (2003)
• Dwain Woodley:^[222] First African American male to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for San Diego County, California (2021)
• Erik Weber (2012):^[223] First male with autism to graduate from the Cal Western School of Law and pass the California Bar Exam [San Diego County, California]
• CJ Mody:^[224] First South Asian male judge in San Diego County, California (2021)

San Francisco County

• R. C. O. Benjamin (1884): First African American male lawyer admitted to the San Francisco Bar Association (1887)
• Thomas Pearson:^[225] First African American male lawyer to practice in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, California (1905)
• Chan Chung Wing (1918): First Chinese American male lawyer in San Francisco, California
• Harold Dobbs (1942):^[226] First Jewish male graduate of UC Hastings College of the Law. He would later found his own law firm and become co-founder of Mel's Drive-In. [San Francisco County, California]
• William Jack Chow (1935):^[227] First Chinese American male to serve as a Deputy District Attorney in San Francisco County, California (1942)
• Cecil F. Poole (1939): First African American male to serve as the Deputy District Attorney for San Francisco County, California (1949)
• John W. Bussey (1931):^[228] First African American male judge in San Francisco County, California (1958)
• Frederick D. Smith:^[229] First African American male to serve as a Public Defender in San Francisco County, California (1961)
• Harry Low (1955):^{[230] [231]} First Asian American male judge in San Francisco County, California (1966)
• Herb Donaldson (1957):^[232] First openly LGBT male judge in San Francisco County, California (1983)
• Ronald Quidachy:^[233] First Filipino American male judge in San Francisco County, California (1983)
• David Smith Fox:^[234] First openly LGBT male to serve as the Deputy City Attorney in San Francisco County, California (1985)
• Luis Garcia:^{[235] [236]} First Latino American male judge in San Francisco County, California
• Everett Hewlett:^[237] First African American male to serve as a Commissioner of the San Francisco Superior Court (1986)
• Michael G.W. Lee:^[238] First Asian American male to serve as the President of the San Francisco Bar Association (1990)
• Raymond Marshall:^[239] First African American male to serve as the President of the San Francisco Bar Association (1993)
• Jeff Adachi (1985):^[240] First Asian American male to serve as the San Francisco Public Defender (2003)
• Frank H. Wu

^[241] First Asian American male to serve as the Dean of University of California, Hastings College of the Law (2010)

• George Gascón

^[242] First Latino American male District Attorney of San Francisco County, California (2011)

• Roger Chan:^[243] First openly LGBT and Korean American male to serve as a Judge of the San Francisco Superior Court, California (2016)
• Alex Bastian:^{[244] [245]} First Armenian American male prosecutor in San Francisco

San Joaquin County

• Cruz F. Portillo (1956):^[246] First Hispanic American male to graduate and become a lawyer from the Humphrey College of Law [San Joaquin County, California]
• John Cruikshank (1963):^[247] First African American male lawyer and judge (1979) in San Joaquin County, California
• Ralph Cingcon:^[248] First African American male to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for Stockton, California (1980; San Joaquin County, California)
• Frank Kim:^{[249] [250]} First Asian American male to serve as the Deputy District Attorney and a judge (1971) in San Joaquin County, California
• Jose L. Alva:^[251] First Latino American male to serve as a Judge of the San Joaquin County Superior Court (2006)

San Luis Obispo County

• Jose Mariano Bonilla:^[252] First (Mexican-born) county judge in San Luis Obispo County, California (1850)

San Mateo County

• Phrasel L. Shelton:^[253] First African American male judge in San Mateo County, California (1976)
• Jonathan Karesh (1985):^[254] First openly LGBT male to serve as the Presiding Judge of the San Mateo County Superior Court (2019)^[255]

Santa Barbara County

• Frank Ochoa:^[256] First Latino American male judge in Santa Barbara County, California in the twentieth century (1983)

Santa Clara County

• Wayne M. Kanemoto (1943): First Japanese American male lawyer in Santa Clara County, California
• Delbert E. Wong (1948):^{[257] [38] [39]} First Chinese American male law graduate of Stanford University (1949) [Santa Clara County, California]
• Maurice Hardeman (1955):^{[258] [259]} First African American municipal court judge in Santa Clara County, California (1964). He is also the first African American male to open a law practice in San Jose, California (1955).
• James Chang (1967):^[260] First Chinese American male to serve as a Judge of Santa Clara County Superior Court (1989)
• Thang Nguyen Barrett (1988): First Vietnamese American male to serve as the Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County, California (1989)
• Rene Navarro (1976):^[261] First Hispanic American male elected as a Judge of the Santa Clara Superior Court (1995)
• Randolf J. Rice:^[262] First openly LGBT male appointed as a Judge of the Santa Clara Superior Court (2001)
• Efren N. Iglesia: First Filipino American male judge appointed in the tri-county area of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties. He served on the bench, however, in Monterey County, California.
• Sunil R. Kulkarni:^[263] First South Asian male appointed as a Judge of the Santa Clara Superior Court (2013)
• Gabriel Garcia:^[264] First Latino American male lawyer in San Jose, California [<nowiki/>[[Santa Clara County, California]]]

Santa Cruz County

• Ron Ruiz (1965):^{[265] [266]} First Latino American male to serve as the District Attorney of Santa Cruz County, California (1999)
• John Salazar (1986):^[267] First Latino American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Cruz County (2000)
• Efren N. Iglesia: First Filipino American male judge appointed in the tri-county area of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties. He served on the bench, however, in Monterey County, California.
• Jerry Vinluan:^[268] First Filipino American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Cruz County (2021)

Solano County

• Lewis F. Brown (1970):^{[269] [270] [271]} First African American male lawyer in Solano County, California
• Osby Davis (1974):^[272] First African American male (a lawyer) to serve as a Solano County Board of Supervisor (1979-1993) and the Mayor of Vallejo, California (2007)
• Luis M. Villarreal (1976):^{[273] [274] [275] [276]} First Hispanic American male judge in Solano County, California (1982)^[277]

Stanislaus County

• Charles Edward Aguilar (1962):^[278] First Latino American male judge in Stanislaus County, California (1977)
• Sonny Sandhu:^[279] First Asian-Pacific Islander male judge in Stanislaus County, California (2018)
• Marcus L. Mumford:^[280] First African American male judge in Stanislaus County, California (2021)

Tulare County

• Oscar Overr: First African American to serve as a Justice of the Peace in Allensworth, California (1914) [Tulare County, California]
• Valeriano Saucedo:^[281] First Hispanic American male judge in Tulare County, California (2001)

Ventura County

• Herbert Curtis:^{[282] [283]} First African American male judge in Ventura County, California
• Arturo F. Gutierrez:^[284] First Latino American male judge in Ventura County, California (1998)
• Ferdinand P. Inumerable (1994):^[285] First Asian American male judge in Ventura County, California (2014)

See also

• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States

Other topics of interest

• List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
• List of first women lawyers and judges in California

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chinese American Heroes - Attorneys. Zheng. Connie.
2. Web site: Y. C. Hong. Hometown Pasadena. en-US. 2018-12-15.
3. Strickland. Rennard. 1993. Yellow Bird's Song: The Message of America's First Native American Attorney. Tulsa Law Review. 29:2. 247–262.
4. News: Black History Month: The life of Robert Charles O'Hara Benjamin. kentucky. 2016-10-08.
5. Book: Smith, J. Clay Jr.. Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. 1999-01-01. University of Pennsylvania Press. 978-0812216851.
6. Web site: Ruling gives posthumous law license to victim of anti-Chinese 1890s. Los Angeles Times. 2016-10-10. 2015-03-17.
7. Chang was awarded the right to practice posthumously in 2015. The admission year shown is for Chang's admission to New York's bar association in 1888.
8. Book: Tramble, Thomas . The Pullman Porters and West Oakland . Tramble . Wilma . 2007 . Arcadia Publishing . 978-0-7385-4789-3 . en.
9. Book: Brown, Eric S. . The Black Professional Middle Class: Race, Class, and Community in the Post-Civil Rights Era . 2013-11-07 . Routledge . 978-1-135-12575-2 . en.
10. Web site: A Deaf Mute Lawyer. August 31, 1897. cdnc.ucr.edu.
11. News: Fighting for Leisure: African Americans, Beaches, and Civil Rights in Early 20th Century L.A.. 2014-05-16. KCET. 2018-11-16. en.
12. News: Charles S. Darden, Esq.. 2018-02-25. Black Wide-Awake. 2018-11-16. en-US.
13. Web site: Golden Anniversary Judicial Luncheon. 2005. THE CHARLES HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER.
14. Book: Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper . 1906 . Frank Leslie . en.
15. It is uncertain if Reyes worked as a lawyer in the United States or returned soon after to practice law in the Philippines.
16. Web site: African American Citywide Historic Context Statement. January 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190419101944/http://default.sfplanning.org/Preservation/african_american_HCS/AfricanAmericanHistoricContextStatement_Draft_Jan2016.pdf. 2019-04-19.
17. Web site: Celebrating 75 Years. State Bar of California.
18. Web site: Ruling gives posthumous law license to victim of anti-Chinese 1890s. Los Angeles Times. 2015-03-17.
19. Web site: Attorney Search : The State Bar of California. California. The State Bar of. members.calbar.ca.gov. 2017-08-12.
20. News: Kenji Ito, 94; Attorney Was Found Not Guilty at Spy Trial in 1942. Woo. Elaine. 2003-08-14. Los Angeles Times. 2016-10-15. 0458-3035.
21. News: The Los Angeles Times. August 14, 2003. 2018-01-23. 122. Newspapers.com.
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25. Web site: State of California - The Resources Agency Primary DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION - Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. May 10, 2012.
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27. News: Pioneer Black Judge Edwin Jefferson Dies. Oliver. Myrna. 1989-08-22. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-10. 0458-3035.
28. Book: Molina, Natalia . A Place at the Nayarit: How a Mexican Restaurant Nourished a Community . 2024-02-13 . Univ of California Press . 978-0-520-40232-4 . en.
29. Web site: 2013-01-22 . Mexican-American advocate Leopoldo Sanchez dies in Whittier . 2024-05-21 . Daily News . en-US.
30. Book: Bulbulian, Berge. The Fresno Armenians: History of a Diaspora Community. 2000. Press at California State University, Fresno. 9780912201351. en.
31. News: David Williams Dies; Was First Black Federal Judge in West. Woo. Elaine. 2000-05-10. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-18. 0458-3035.
32. Upon his appointment as a Judge of U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
33. Book: Okihiro, Gary Y.. Encyclopedia of Japanese American Internment. 2013-06-11. ABC-CLIO. 9780313399169.
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37. Book: Congressional Record, V. 152, PT. 7, May 18, 2006 to May 26, 2006. July 2010. Government Printing Office. 9780160861543.
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39. News: Delbert E. Wong, 85; First Chinese American Judge in the Continental U.S.. Thurber. Jon. 2006-03-12. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-23. 0458-3035.
40. Web site: A California Supreme Court Justice Looks at Law and Society, 1964-1996. oac.cdlib.org. 2020-02-12.
41. News: Nation's 1st Openly Gay Judge to Retire. 1999-09-02. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-15. 0458-3035.
42. News: Lim Ruger Scoops Up 4-Lawyer Firm to Gain Toehold in San Francisco. The Recorder. 2018-01-26.
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46. News: Fil-Am Julian Recana sworn in as LA County Superior Court judge News. News. 2018-01-23.
47. News: Mel Recana and son Julian share valuable experience on trials in court and in life AJ Magazines. AJ Magazines. 2018-01-23.
48. Web site: First Vietnamese-American college president relies on refugee past to connect with students. 2017-08-11. The Mercury News. en-US. 2019-01-16.
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50. News: First Hmong American judge in U.S. appointed in Merced County. mercedsunstar. 2017-10-26.
51. Web site: Nation's First Parsi Judge Appointed to Los Angeles Superior Court. SOHRABJI. SUNITA. January 10, 2017. India-West.
52. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
53. Web site: Aruna Rodrigo The first Sri Lankan-American Judge in California - Life Daily Mirror . 2022-03-23 . www.dailymirror.lk . English.
54. Web site: First Sri Lankan-American appointed to the Judicial Bench in State of California . 2022-03-23 . Sri Lanka Foundation . en-US.
55. Reynoso. Cruz. June 2005. ARTICLE: A Survey of Latino Lawyers in Los Angeles County - Their Professional Lives and Opinions. U.C. Davis L. Rev.. 38. 1563.
56. Web site: Striving for Justice: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - A History of the California Courts of Appeal On the Occasion of Their Centennial Celebration. 2005. Administrative Office of the Courts.
57. Web site: Remembering Wintersburg. www.rafu.com. 2018-02-16.
58. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
59. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
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61. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
62. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
63. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
64. News: First Latino justice set to be confirmed to 6th District Court of Appeals. 2012-06-27. The Mercury News. 2018-01-13.
65. Web site: Alumnus appointed to First District Court of Appeals The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle. hwchronicle.com. 2019-01-10.
66. Web site: Commission Confirms 2 Newsom Appointees to Courts of Appeal. 2022-02-16. The Recorder. en.
67. News: American-Jewish History, a book review of 'History of Jews in America'. December 8, 1912. The San Francisco call. August 1, 2017. Library of Congress Historic Newspapers. 4. Among the men prominent in the affairs of California mentioned in the book are Solomon Heydendeldt,...Henry A. Lyons..
68. Friedenberg. Albert M.. 1902. Solomon Heydenfeldt: A Jewish Jurist Of Alabama and California. Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society. 10. 10. 129–140. 43059669.
69. Web site: From the Archives: Wiley Manuel, First Black on State High Court, Dies. ENDICOTT. WILLIAM. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-29. 1981-01-06.
70. Book: Johnson, John W.. Historic U.S. Court Cases: An Encyclopedia. 2001. Taylor & Francis. 9780415937559.
71. Roberts. Kevin. 2012. An Interview with Justice Cruz Reynoso. Judges' Journal. 51:3. 4–8.
72. Web site: 2020-10-05. Newsom names first openly gay justice to the California Supreme Court. 2020-11-03. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
73. Web site: 2020-10-05. Governor Newsom Selects Justice Martin Jenkins (Ret.) for California Supreme Court. 2020-11-03. California Governor. en.
74. Book: Bias, United States Court of Appeals (District of Columbia Circuit) Task Force of the District of Columbia Circuit on Gender, Race, and Ethnic . The Gender, Race, and Ethnic Bias Task Force Project in the D.C. Circuit . 1995 . Task Force . en.
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76. News: Hon. Earl B. Gilliam. 2017-04-24. Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association. 2018-01-29.
77. Book: ABA Journal. November 1990. American Bar Association.
78. News: Senate confirms Santa Clara County judge Davila to federal bench. 2011-02-14. The Mercury News. 2018-01-29.
79. Judge Aguilar would resign in 1996 and the next Hispanic American male judge, Hon.Edward J. Davila (1979), would not be appointed to the Northern District Court of California bench until 2011.https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/05/20/white-house-nominates-san-jose-judge-edward-davila-to-federal-bench/
80. Web site: 2024-07-10 . McGeorge Community Stories . 2024-07-11 . McGeorge Community Stories . en-US.
81. Web site: USC Institute Gala Honors Federal Judge. 2005-10-19. USC News. en-US. 2018-12-17.
82. Web site: HONORABLE RONALD S.W. LEW. www.pli.edu. 2018-01-23.
83. Web site: Hon. Ronald S.W. Lew '71. Southwestern Law School. 2018-01-23.
84. News: Hon. Thelton E. Henderson Berkeley Law . Berkeley Law . 2018-01-12.
85. News: U.S. Judge in Unabomber Case Is Called Deliberate, in Control. Jacobs. Paul. 1996-06-19. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-19. 0458-3035.
86. Web site: Woo . Elaine . 2009-08-07 . Robert M. Takasugi dies at 78; Japanese American federal judge had been interned in World War II relocation camp . 2022-08-26 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
87. News: Edward Chen '79 Nominated to U.S. District Court in San Francisco Berkeley Law. Berkeley Law. 2018-02-15.
88. News: Asian magistrate is a first in S.F. / Chen was discrimination specialist at ACLU. SFGate. 2018-02-15.
89. News: Michael Fitzgerald 1st openly gay U.S. judge in CA. SFGate. 2018-01-15.
90. News: CA's First Openly Gay Judge Confirmed. NBC Bay Area. 2018-01-15.
91. News: Vijay Gandhi becomes first Indian-American judge in California. 2010-04-19. The Economic Times. 2018-01-26.
92. News: Bay Area Obama appointees: a breakdown. 2018-01-13.
93. News: 2023-07-18 . Steve B. Chu Appointed as U.S. Magistrate Judge . en . FBA San Diego . 2023-08-28.
94. Web site: Egelko . Bob . 2023-12-05 . Biden is bringing unprecedented diversity to the federal bench, new report says . 2023-12-05 . San Francisco Chronicle . en.
95. Web site: LACBA Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Honorees. 2020-06-05. www.lacba.org.
96. News: Arthur L. Alarcón, 9th U.S. Circuit's first Latino judge, dies at 89. Bermudez. Esmeralda. 2015-01-31. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-12. 0458-3035.
97. Web site: Ninth Circuit Recalls First Hispanic Judge. www.ca9.uscourts.gov. 2018-01-12.
98. Web site: Tao . Joyce . 2021-02-12 . Interview with Cuauhtemoc Ortega, the newly appointed Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California . 2024-05-20 . California Lawyers Association . en-US.
99. Web site: Judge Stanley Mosk addressing an event, Los Angeles, 1940s - UCLA Library Digital Collections . 2024-05-17 . digital.library.ucla.edu.
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102. Bonta is the second Asian American to serve as the Attorney General of California, as Kamala Harris was the first from 2011-2017.
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106. Web site: Legal pioneer Cecil Poole dies at 83. Coile. Zachary. Staff. Of the Examiner. 1997-11-14. SFGate. 2020-02-14.
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108. News: Assistant Prosecutor Takes Reins Riding Tall. HASTINGS. DEBORAH. 1986-03-23. Los Angeles Times. 2019-03-19. en-US. 0458-3035.
109. News: Assistant Prosecutor Takes Reins Riding Tall. HASTINGS. DEBORAH. 1986-03-23. Los Angeles Times. 2019-03-19. en-US. 0458-3035.
110. Web site: Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 26 (Thursday, February 16, 2012) . 2022-06-10 . www.govinfo.gov.
111. Spring 2008. State Roll Call. Counselor (UC Davis, School of Law).
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114. Web site: Luis Rodriguez: First Latino bar president paves the way forward. www.calbarjournal.com. 2019-01-03.
115. Web site: President of the State Bar: Who is Luis J. Rodriguez?. AllGov California. 2019-01-03.
116. Web site: New California Bar President Michael Colantuono '88 Eager to Drive Reforms. Berkeley Law. en-US. 2019-01-03.
117. Web site: September 12, 2018 . New State Bar Chair Jason Lee Sworn in as Key Reforms Continue . 2024-06-04 . The State Bar of California . en-US.
118. Web site: Gov appoints first openly gay judge. The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.. en. 2019-01-06.
119. Web site: The Franklin Brothers of San Diego. San Diego History Center San Diego, CA Our City, Our Story. en-US. 2018-12-11.
120. Web site: Santa Clara Magazine - In Memoriam. magazine.scu.edu. 2018-02-14.
121. News: Santa Clara Law Centennial Book. Issuu. 2018-02-14.
122. Web site: Santa Clara Magazine - Editor. magazine.scu.edu. 2018-02-14.
123. News: Asian Bar Nominates. BlackRadioNetwork. 2018-02-14.
124. Web site: Issei Pioneer: Shunsuke Uchiyama. Takemura. Yoshiaki G.. Japanese American Issei Pioneer Museum.
125. Web site: Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 26 (Thursday, February 16, 2012). www.gpo.gov. 2018-02-14.
126. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
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128. Web site: Far Away Long Ago . 2022-03-09 . Berkeley Law . en-US.
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132. News: Lionel Wilson, Ex-Mayor of Oakland, Dies / First black to hold post, he served three terms. SFGate. 2018-01-12.
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134. Book: Bar Leader. 1987. American Bar Association. en.
135. Web site: Resolution honoring Judge Ken Kawaichi.
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140. Web site: About - Public Defender - Alameda County. www.acgov.org. 2020-02-12.
141. Web site: Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area - AABA Congratulates Somnath Raj Chatterjee and Benjamin T. Reyes II on Historic Appointments to the Superior Court in Alameda County and Contra Costa County. www.aaba-bay.com. 2018-02-15.
142. Web site: South Asian Bar Association hails the appointment of Raj Chatterjee as Alameda County Judge. ilatimes.com. 2018-02-15.
143. Web site: Governor Brown Swears In Justice Groban to California Supreme Court, Releases Judicial Appointment Data. January 3, 2019. Officer of Governor Edmund Brown, Jr..
144. Web site: New Butte County court judge starts in 2018. KHSL News. en. 2019-01-10.
145. Web site: Lives of the East Bay 2016. www.alamedamagazine.com. 30 December 2016. 2017-09-23.
146. News: George Carroll dies; was first black Richmond mayor and Contra Costa County judge. 2016-01-15. The Mercury News. 2018-01-12.
147. Web site: The Law in these Parts. Contra Costa County Bar Association. en-US. 2020-02-12.
148. Web site: Trellis: Legal Intelligence California Legal Analytics. 2022-02-16. trellis.law.
149. News: First Filipino-American judge appointed in Contra Costa County. 2017-07-05. East Bay Times. 2018-02-15.
150. News: Native Sworn as Superior Court Judge. eikeme. 2017-12-07. Alameda Sun. 2018-02-15.
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152. News: In Memoriam – Spring 2005 Bulletin . Harvard Law Today. 2018-02-13.
153. Web site: Commencement Ceremonies Nisei Diploma Project CSU. www.calstate.edu. 2019-01-16.
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155. Distad, K. (1981). Judicial Profile: Judge Matias R. Contreras. Daily Journal.
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157. Web site: Local Hispanic leaders hope to inspire more education. Yamashita. Eiji. Hanford Sentinel. en. 2020-02-06.
158. Cosgrove . George . 1989 . EARLY CALIFORNIA JUSTICE: THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 1849 - 1895 . Western Legal History . 2 . 2.
159. Web site: Agustín Olvera - Los Angeles County's First Judge . 2022-03-11 . www.laalmanac.com.
160. Hernandez . Dennis F. . January 2019 . Los Angeles County's First Judge . Los Angeles Lawyer.
161. Web site: Nunez . Arturo Romero . 2010 . Freedom's Journal and El Clamor Publico: African American and Mexican American Cultural Fronts in Nineteenth-Century Newsprint . UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations.
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164. Web site: Japanese émigré gets law license — six decades after his death — with help from USC alumni. 2017-09-13. USC News. en-US. 2018-12-17.
165. Book: Beasley, Delilah Leontium. The Negro Trail Blazers of California: A Compilation of Records from the California Archives in the Bancroft Library at the University of California, in Berkeley; and from the Diaries, Old Papers, and Conversations of Old Pioneers in the State of California .... 1919. R. and E. Research Associates. en.
166. Book: Widener, Daniel. Black Arts West: Culture and Struggle in Postwar Los Angeles. 2010-03-08. Duke University Press. 978-0-8223-9262-0. en.
167. Book: Flamming, Douglas. Bound for Freedom: Black Los Angeles in Jim Crow America. August 2006. University of California Press. 978-0-520-24990-5. en.
168. Book: Segal, Geraldine R.. Blacks in the Law: Philadelphia and the Nation. 1983. University of Pennsylvania Press. 978-0-8122-7854-5. en.
169. Web site: Gatto . Marianna . Moore . Hayley . 2015 . Judge Alfred Paonessa and The Early Civil Rights Movement in California . IAMLA.
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171. Book: Areyan, Alex Moreno . Mexican Americans in Los Angeles . 2010 . Arcadia Publishing . 978-0-7385-8006-7 . en.
172. Web site: Marcus O. Tucker, 1934-2015: Superior Court judge who helped troubled kids turn lives around dies at 80. 2015-08-10. Press Telegram. en-US. 2020-02-12.
173. Web site: Food For Thought: The Los Angeles Bar Association Christmas Party Menu, 19 December 1929. 2018-12-20. The Homestead Blog. en. 2019-01-04.
174. Web site: Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. '62 - Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. www.lls.edu. 2020-02-12.
175. News: Wwinstein. Henry. Clinton Appoints Paez to U.S. Appeals Court. 1996-01-27. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-19. 0458-3035.
176. Web site: 1999-11-23. An Outpouring of Pride and Love. 2020-06-13. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
177. Web site: Ricardo García Sworn in as LA County's First Latino Public Defender. 2018-10-05. SCVNews.com. en-US. 2019-01-11.
178. Web site: New Leadership at the Los Angeles Superior Court. House. Mary Thornton.
179. Web site: John W. Patton, Jr., Esq. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science . 2019-01-06 . www.cdrewu.edu.
180. Web site: May 10, 2013 . Lambda Legal Honors Eric Webber at 2013 West Coast Liberty Awards . Lambda Legal.
181. Web site: LACBA Hispanic Heritage Month Honorees . 2022-03-09 . www.lacba.org.
182. Web site: Marin IJ Editorial: Lichtblau stands out in a talented field for Marin County judge. 2016-05-27. Marin Independent Journal. en-US. 2019-03-19.
183. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.
184. Web site: 2016 . Resolution of the Board of Supervisors - Marin County - Proclaiming National Hispanic, Latino, and Indigenous People Heritage Month .
185. Web site: 2015 Year in Review. www.metnews.com. 2019-03-19.
186. Web site: Merced judge to resign from Superior Court. mercedsunstar. en. 2019-03-19.
187. News: Albert Maldonado, Monterey County's first Latino judge, retires.. Argueza. Marielle. Monterey County Weekly. 2018-01-13.
188. Web site: Hon Efren N. Iglesia . 2024-06-04 . www.sjcl.edu.
189. Web site: Fathy . Stephanie . May 6, 2020 . MONTEREY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF JUDGE EFREN N. IGLESIA . Monterey County Superior Court.
190. Web site: Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County - About. ochba.org. 2017-09-24.
191. News: O.C. Judge Faces Review. Pfeifer. Stuart. 2002-05-08. Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-12. 0458-3035.
192. Web site: 2020-06-10. Westminster courthouse re-named after first Asian American Orange County Superior Court judge. 2022-02-07. Orange County Register. en-US.
193. Web site: City to Honor First Vietnamese Judge City of Garden Grove . 2022-04-22 . ggcity.org.
194. Web site: 2024-04-18 . News: Congratulations to Judge Mena Guirguis on Orange County Superior Court Appointment! . 2024-06-05 . AALASC . en-US.
195. Web site: Judge Garen J. Horst - Comprehensive Profile: Analytics, Rulings & Recent Cases Trellis.Law . 2024-05-18 . trellis.law.
196. Web site: Todd D. Irby (JD '83) Appointed to Placer County Superior Court Judgeship. en. 2019-01-10.
197. Web site: Here's the latest Inland judge appointments. 2016-12-23. Press Enterprise. en-US. 2019-01-15.
198. Web site: Choi. Sophia. March 2015. Judicial Profile: Judge Susanne Cho. Riverside Lawyer.
199. Web site: Three Southwestern Alums Appointed to County Superior Court Judgeships. Southwestern Law School. en. 2019-01-10.
200. Book: Covin, David. Black Politics After the Civil Rights Movement: Activity and Beliefs in Sacramento, 1970–2000. 2009-03-12. McFarland. 9780786452989.
201. News: OUHSD 2013 Hall of Fame: Oroville native Mamoru Sakuma blazed trails for Asian-Americans in Sacramento courts. 2018-02-15.
202. 2011. Mamoru Sakuma. AABA Newsletter. 17.
203. Web site: Cummings . Brandi . 2024-02-06 . Celebrating Black History: Retired Judge Gary E. Ransom broke barriers in the courtroom . 2024-02-06 . KCRA . en.
204. Web site: February 11, 2018 . Leonard Padilla, Sacramento bail bonds icon, declining in... . Sacramento Bee.
205. Web site: Governor Brown Appoints 13 Superior Court Judges Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-12-11.
206. Web site: Political Notebook: CA appeal court vacancy offers Newsom historic LGBT pick. 2022-02-16. The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.. en.
207. Web site: Gonzalez . Vicki . Interview: Sacramento District Attorney-elect Thien Ho on homelessness, community trust and more . 2022-08-26 . www.capradio.org.
208. Web site: Malone . Matthew . Thien Ho elected as Sac County district attorney . 2022-08-26 . The Galt Herald . en.
209. Book: San Benito. 2010. Arcadia Publishing. 978-0-7385-8024-1. en.
210. Bazelon. Lara. Winter 2018. ARTICLE: ENDING INNOCENCE DENYING. Hofstra L. Rev.. 47. 393.
211. Web site: San Bernardino Superior Court Welcomes Two New Judges: Commissioner Winston S. Keh and Antoine F. Raphael Superior Court of California. sb-court.org. 2019-01-10.
212. Web site: Pioneers, Warriors, Advocates:San Diego's Black Legal Community, 1890-2013. Fikes. Robert. The Journal of San Diego History.
213. Web site: Pioneers, Warriors, Advocates: A History of San Diego's Black Legal Community, 1890-2010. Fikes . Robert Jr.. Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association.
214. News: quarterlane Journal: Brit Bennet. 2017-04-19. Quarterlane Books - The Edit. 2018-02-14.
215. Web site: The Mothers - Brit Bennett - Author Biography. Lundquist. Molly. Litlovers. 2018-02-14.
216. Book: Burt, Kenneth C.. The Search for a Civic Voice: California Latino Politics. 2007-01-01. Regina Books. 978-1-930053-50-2. en.
217. Web site: The Birth of Latino Politics and Bipartisanship in California. Burt. Kenneth. California State Library Foundation.
218. Web site: Pioneering Hispanic Judge Retires. mobile.laprensa-sandiego.org. 2020-02-07.
219. Kearney. Christopher C.. Spring 2013. COLUMN: PRESIDENT'S REPORT: CHOOSE HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARK. San Francisco Att'y. 39. 6.
220. Web site: SD County Assistant District Attorney Jesse Rodriguez Retiring. 2018-12-12. San Diego, CA Patch. en. 2019-01-16.
221. Web site: 2015-06-12 . FACT SHEET: U.S. Government Efforts to Address Bias-Motivated Violence Against the LGBT Community Around the World . 2022-11-02 . whitehouse.gov . en.
222. Web site: 2021-04-06 . Longtime prosecutor appointed as 1st Black assistant DA in county history . 2023-11-30 . FOX 5 San Diego . en-US.
223. Web site: Man With Autism Passes Bar Exam, Breaks Barriers. Tevrizian. Megan. NBC 7 San Diego. en. 2018-12-18.
224. Web site: 2021-01-27 . We congratulate Honorable CJ Mody, the first South Asian American to take a seat on the San Diego Superior Court - South Asian Bar Association of San Diego . 2024-04-15 . en-US.
225. News: Library to host presentation on historic Solano African American Citizen. 2017-02-03. Suisun City, CA Patch. 2017-09-24.
226. Web site: Harold Dobbs Class of 1942 – Center for Business Law at UC Hastings. en-US. 2018-12-11.
227. Web site: Chow family collection. oac.cdlib.org. 2020-02-12.
228. Web site: S.F.'s first black judge appointed in 1958. Miller. Johnny. 2008-03-23. SFGate. 2020-02-12.
229. Web site: First black public defender in S.F. dead. Category: Features from The Berkeley Daily Planet . 2024-06-07 . berkeleydailyplanet.com.
230. News: Justice Harry Low Named 'San Franciscan of the Year' Berkeley Law. Berkeley Law. 2018-01-24.
231. Web site: California Appellate Court Legacy Project – Interviewee Biography: Justice Harry W. Low.
232. News: Judge Herbert Donaldson dies: 'A born jurist'. SFGate. 2018-01-15.
233. News: Chiang . Harriet . A judge who went from activist to S.F. jurist . 2024-06-05 . SFGATE . en.
234. News: FOX, David Smith. 2003-01-08. SFGate. 2018-11-16.
235. Book: MALDEF.. 1977. Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
236. Web site: About. San Francisco La Raza Lawyers. 2018-01-13.
237. Web site: Judge Everett Hewlett. Trellis. 2020-01-16.
238. Web site: About Us: BASF Historical Timeline. www.sfbar.org. 2019-01-07.
239. Book: Senate, California Legislature. Journal of the Senate, Legislature of the State of California. 1999. California State Print. Office. en.
240. Gordon. Leslie A.. Winter 2006. FEATURE: SPECIAL FEATURE: BASF MEMBERS LEAD CITY DEPARTMENTS: San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. San Francisco Att'y. 32. 28.
241. Web site: Frank H. Wu . 2022-03-16 . UC Hastings Law San Francisco . en-US.
242. Web site: San Francisco DA Resigns to Explore Run for Office in Los Angeles. Solis. Nathan. 2019-10-04. en-US. 2019-10-08.
243. Web site: Online Extra: Political Notes: Ceremony celebrates SF Judge Chan. The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.. en. 2019-01-10.
244. Web site: 2019-04-15 . AIWA-SF Thrive: Alex Bastian . 2022-03-30 . AIWA San Francisco . en.
245. Web site: Rising Stars Awards . 2022-03-30 . en-US.
246. Web site: Hall of Fame – Drivon School of Law. 2020-06-05. law.humphreys.edu.s219631.gridserver.com.
247. Web site: First black S.J. judge dies Cruikshank showed compassion and justice. Chief. Jeff Hood Lodi Bureau. recordnet.com. en. 2019-01-18.
248. Web site: Second-Degree Murder Conviction Reversed Based on Inadequate Representation . 2023-11-30 . www.metnews.com.
249. Book: California, Lawrence Tom & Brian Tom, Chinese American Museum of Northern. Gold Country's Last Chinatown: Marysville, California. 2020-01-13. Arcadia Publishing. 978-1-4671-4323-3. en.
250. Web site: Register of the Routt Tokay High School Local History Collection, 1989-1995. oac.cdlib.org. 2020-03-12.
251. Web site: Judge follows diverse career path. Rodriguez-Moore. Jennie. recordnet.com. en. 2020-02-06.
252. Book: Angel, Myron . History of San Luis Obispo County, California: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers . 1883 . Thompson & West . en.
253. Web site: Memorial service set for San Mateo County's first black judge. 2018-02-03. The Mercury News. en-US. 2019-01-15.
254. Web site: Gay judge to preside over San Mateo courts. The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.. en. 2020-02-12.
255. Judge Karesh is the second openly LGBT Presiding Judge for San Mateo County Superior Court (as Judge Rosemary Pfeiffer became the first in 2000).
256. Web site: Superior Court of the County of Santa Barbara - General Info - Judicial Assignments - Judge Frank J. Ochoa. www.sbcourts.org. 2019-01-11.
257. Book: Congressional Record, V. 152, PT. 7, May 18, 2006 to May 26, 2006. July 2010. Government Printing Office. 9780160861543.
258. Book: Ruffin, Herbert G.. Uninvited Neighbors: African Americans in Silicon Valley, 1769–1990. 2014-03-28. University of Oklahoma Press. 9780806145839. en.
259. Book: Black Americans and the Civil Rights Movement in the West. Glasrud. Bruce A.. Wintz. Cary D.. 2019-02-14. University of Oklahoma Press. 9780806163482. en.
260. Book: Chinese in San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley. Gong-Guy. Lillian. Wong. Gerrye. 2007. Arcadia Publishing. 978-0-7385-4777-0. en.
261. Anderson, C. (2005). Judge Rene Navarro. Judicial Profiles. Daily Journal Corporation.
262. Web site: Santa Clara's Rice Retires From Bench. Legal Pad. 2020-01-16.
263. Web site: Dremann . Sue . Palo Altan becomes first South Asian Santa Clara County judge . 2022-11-23 . www.paloaltoonline.com . en.
264. Book: Ruiz, Ronald L. . The Big Bear . 2003 . Arte Publico Press . 978-1-61192-070-3 . en.
265. Web site: First day in new office · SCPL Local History. history.santacruzpl.org. 2020-02-14.
266. Web site: Ruiz chosen DA. February 12, 1999. cdnc.ucr.edu. 2020-02-14.
267. Web site: First Latino appointed Superior Court judge · SCPL Local History. history.santacruzpl.org. 2020-02-05.
268. Web site: 2021-07-15 . Santa Cruz's first Filipino-American judge appointed to bench . 2022-03-09 . Santa Cruz Sentinel . en-US.
269. Web site: Resource of the Month: First African-American Lawyers. Watson. Jonathan.
270. News: Judge wants Solano County legal museum built in Fairfield. 2018-01-24.
271. News: Fifty years later, Vallejo figures reflect on civil rights struggle. 2018-01-13.
272. Web site: Congressional Record. www.congress.gov. 2018-01-13.
273. News: County judge puts down gavel after two decades on bench. 2018-01-14.
274. News: A Murder In Vacaville. 2018-01-14.
275. Web site: HISTORY OF SOLANO COUNTY by Jerry Bowen. www.bellavistaranch.net. 2018-01-14.
276. Web site: 2020-08-01 . Judge Luis Mario Villarreal . 2022-07-20 . Daily Republic.
277. At the time of his appointment, Villarreal was the youngest judge to search on the Solano County bench.
278. News: Stanislaus County's first Latino judge dies. vidaenelvalle. 2018-01-13.
279. Web site: Former Stanislaus County Public Defender takes oath as new Superior Court judge. modbee. en. 2019-01-10.
280. Web site: 2021-03-25 . Governor Newsom Appoints 18 Superior Court Judges 3.25.21 . 2022-06-09 . California Governor . en.
281. Web site: Judge accused of buying car, other gifts for clerk. Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register. en. 2019-03-20.
282. Web site: Retired Ventura County Superior Court judge kills girlfriend and himself. Ventura Breeze. en-US. 2019-01-18.
283. Web site: Retired California judge, Cleveland native and nephew of Don King, dies in murder-suicide, reports say. Pinckard. Cliff. cleveland.com. 9 February 2017. en-US. 2019-01-18.
284. Web site: Oxnard Native Appointed to Superior Court. 2002-10-17. Los Angeles Times. en-US. 2020-01-17.
285. Web site: Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom. Governor. Office of the. www.gov.ca.gov. 2018-01-03.