Week 3 Justice Carlos R. Moreno When he was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California in 2001, Justice Carlos Moreno chose to relinquish his lifetime seat on the U.S. District Court where he had presided over a broad range of complex civil and criminal matters since his appointment in 1998 by President Bill Clinton. On the state's highest court, he has the opportunity to "really address critical cutting-edge issues involving social policy," and his service allows him to contribute to "decisions about what direction the law is going to take." As an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, Justice Moreno reviews on appeal a wide range of civil and criminal cases, which have substantial state and federal constitutional implications. With his appointment to the Supreme Court of California, he became only the third judge of Hispanic heritage to serve in the Court's nearly 150-year history, and the first in more than a decade. Apart from raising his family, he considers his appointment to the Supreme Court as his proudest accomplishment. "The appointment to California's highest court is the dream of a lifetime for any lawyer who loves the law." Justice Moreno earned his excellent reputation as a jurist through years of service in the judiciary, beginning with his appointment in 1986 to the Municipal Court, Compton Judicial District, by Governor George Deukmejian. In that capacity, he adjudicated criminal matters, with an emphasis on serious felony offenses, and supervised the court's civil department until 1993, when Governor Pete Wilson elevated him to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he presided over felony trials. Justice Moreno is unique in that he has been nominated to judgeships by four different appointing executive authorities, two of whom are Democrats, and two who are Republicans. This is a testament to his fairness and impartiality in the view of many observers. A native of Los Angeles, Justice Moreno attended local public schools before going east to Yale University, from which he graduated in 1970. He realized early in his education that he had a skill which enabled him to navigate through complex procedures as he assisted various relatives in responding to requests for additional information regarding insurance claims and applications for benefits. He was later drawn to the study of law so that he could help others on a larger scale and with a broader range of issues. After graduating from Stanford Law School and being admitted to the Bar in 1975, he served in the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. As Deputy City Attorney, he prosecuted criminal and civil consumer protection cases, and handled politically sensitive and legislative matters for the City Attorney. In 1979, he joined the firm of Mori & Ota (now known as Kelley, Drye and Warren) representing the firm's business clients in its general commercial litigation practice. Formerly the president of the Mexican American Bar Association, Justice Moreno serves the community in a variety of ways. He has been a member of the California Judges Association, the Presiding Judges Association and the Municipal Court Judges Association of Los Angeles County and was also the president of the Yale Club of Southern California, and a member of the Stanford University Law School Board of Visitors. He currently serves as a director of the Arroyo Vista Family Health Center and the Western Justice Center Foundation. Justice Moreno was honored with the Criminal Justice Superior Court Judge of the Year Award in 1997, from the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and was presented with the "For God, For Country, and For Yale" Award in 2001, recognizing him as a distinguished alumnus of Yale University. He also received an honorary degree from Southwestern University School of Law in May 2002 for his devotion to the justice system, young people and the community. When addressing new graduates at Southwestern University School of Law last Spring, Justice Moreno urged his fellow members of the legal profession to take significant steps to ensure that access to justice is foremost in their professional lives. He went on to stress the need to enforce and exercise significant rights, as provided in the Constitution and statutes, to give those rights meaning in actual practice, for all members of society. Justice Moreno hopes that his appointment to the California Supreme Court "serves as a reminder to everyone that anything is possible in this great country." He also hopes that during his tenure on the bench he will be able to "improve the quality of equal justice for all by ensuring that access to justice in our state becomes a reality for all." Justice Moreno and his wife Christine live in Los Angeles with their two children, Keiko and Nicholas, and their niece, Heather, who suffers from an autistic disorder. The ABA is honored to include Justice Carlos Moreno in our commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Photo Usage: Permission to use the above photo was granted by Justice Carlos Moreno. Hispanic Heritage Month 2002 | Links