Editor's Note: San Francisco January 6, 2011 - After a distinguished career on the state and federal courts, Justice Carlos Moreno today announced his retirement from the California Supreme Court effective February 28, 2011.
"It has been a truly unique honor and privilege to have served the people of California as a judge for over twenty-four years and, together with my great colleagues on the Court, to have played a modest role in shaping California jurisprudence," stated Justice Moreno. "I will sincerely miss all who have worked with me at the Court. I look forward to weighing my options in the private sector, including private practice and alternative dispute resolution, and broadening my civic involvement in public affairs."
"Justice Moreno is a consummate professional, a dedicated and gracious jurist who has served the federal and state courts for more than 24 years," said Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye. "He is known statewide for his distinguished service as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, and for his leadership of the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, which has brought improved practices and procedures in juvenile dependency cases."
"I fully expected that Justice Moreno and I would serve together on the Supreme Court for at least another decade," the Chief Justice continued. "While I am saddened by his announcement, I am happy for him because his future is filled with possibilities. I know I speak for the entire court in acknowledging his outstanding service to the people of California and in wishing him all the best in the future.
Justice Moreno began his career as a deputy city attorney with the Los Angeles City Attorney's office, prosecuting criminal and civil consumer protection cases and handling politically sensitive and legislative matters as special counsel to the city attorney. He then joined the firm of Mori & Ota (now known as Kelley, Drye & Warren) in 1979, representing institutional clients in the firm's general commercial litigation practice.
In 1986, Governor George Deukmejian appointed Justice Moreno to the Municipal Court, Compton Judicial District, where he handled general criminal matters and supervised the court's civil department. In 1993, Governor Pete Wilson elevated Justice Moreno to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he presided over felony trials in downtown Los Angeles.
Justice Moreno was then nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton and in February 1998, he was unanimously confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by the U.S. Senate. Moreno served as a federal district court judge for over three years, presiding over a broad range of complex civil and criminal matters.
Justice Moreno has served as president of the Mexican American Bar Association and has been a member of the California Judges Association, the Presiding Judges Association, and the Municipal Court Judges Association of Los Angeles County. He has served on the Board of Visitors of Stanford Law School and the Board of Governors of the Association of Yale Alumni. He is a director of the Arroyo Vista Family Health Center and a former president of the Yale Club of Southern California.
In 1997, Moreno received the Criminal Justice Superior Court Judge of the Year Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and in 2003 the Roger J. Traynor Appellate Justice of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.
Justice Moreno is the past chair of the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care. He is also chair of the Judicial Council's Bench-Bar-Media Committee.
He received a B.A. from Yale University in 1970 and a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1975.
He and his wife, Christine, a Los Angeles art professor, have three children.
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