Richard Paez
Encyclopedia
Richard Anthony Paez is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
.
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree from Brigham Young University
in 1969. He attended the Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley
and graduated in 1972.
He is married to Diane Erickson, with a son and daughter.
, 1972-1974,
followed by staff attorney, Western Center on Law and Poverty, 1974-1976.
He joined the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles in 1976 as a
senior counsel, was director of litigation 1978-1979 and
deputy director for litigation, 1979-1980,
then was acting executive director and director of litigation, 1980-1981.
Paez then became a judge on the Los Angeles Municipal Court for the duration 1981-1994.
Following March 9, 1994, nomination by President Bill Clinton
, confirmation by the United States Senate
on June 15, 1994, and reception of commission on June 16, 1994, Paez became the second Mexican American
to sit on the bench of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
, a district that covers Los Angeles
.
Paez was confirmed by Senate on March 9, 2000, by a 59-39 vote, more than four years after President Clinton first nominated him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
. Paez waited 1,506 days to be confirmed, which at that time was the longest wait for a vote by any judicial nominee in U.S. history.
In a 2009 decision, he held that a San Francisco resolution urging the Vatican to withdraw a directive against same-sex adoptions does not violate the Establishment Clause.
In a 2011 decision, he issued the majority opinion upholding a lower court's blocking of the most controversial parts of the Arizona SB 1070 anti-illegal immigration law from taking effect.
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
.
Early life and education
Paez hails from UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in 1969. He attended the Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and graduated in 1972.
He is married to Diane Erickson, with a son and daughter.
Career
He served as staff attorney, California Rural Legal AssistanceCalifornia Rural Legal Assistance
California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. is a 501 non-profit legal and political advocacy group that promotes the interests of migrant laborers and the rural poor. The organization provides legal assistance in the areas of housing and eviction, public benefits, and educational access...
, 1972-1974,
followed by staff attorney, Western Center on Law and Poverty, 1974-1976.
He joined the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles in 1976 as a
senior counsel, was director of litigation 1978-1979 and
deputy director for litigation, 1979-1980,
then was acting executive director and director of litigation, 1980-1981.
Paez then became a judge on the Los Angeles Municipal Court for the duration 1981-1994.
Following March 9, 1994, nomination by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, confirmation by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on June 15, 1994, and reception of commission on June 16, 1994, Paez became the second Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
to sit on the bench of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
United States District Court for the Central District of California
The United States District Court for the Central District of California serves over 18 million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population...
, a district that covers Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Paez was confirmed by Senate on March 9, 2000, by a 59-39 vote, more than four years after President Clinton first nominated him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
. Paez waited 1,506 days to be confirmed, which at that time was the longest wait for a vote by any judicial nominee in U.S. history.
In a 2009 decision, he held that a San Francisco resolution urging the Vatican to withdraw a directive against same-sex adoptions does not violate the Establishment Clause.
In a 2011 decision, he issued the majority opinion upholding a lower court's blocking of the most controversial parts of the Arizona SB 1070 anti-illegal immigration law from taking effect.