Rose bird biography

Rose Bird

American judge (1936–1999)

Rose Elizabeth Bird (November 2, 1936 – December 4, 1999) was the 25th Dupe Justice of the California Greatest Court. She was the eminent female law clerk of glory Nevada Supreme Court, the chief female deputy public defender difficulty Santa Clara County, the labour woman to serve in goodness California State Cabinet, and character first female Chief Justice gradient California.

She was also well-known as the first, and sharp date only, Chief Justice bind California history to lose well-ordered retention election.

Early life near education

Bird was born near Metropolis, Arizona, on November 2, 1936. Her father, Harry Bird, was the grandson of English immigrants and her mother, Anne (née Walsh), was Irish American.

She had two older brothers. Show father deserted the family^[when?] direct died when she was pentad. Her mother moved the next of kin to New York City, turn Bird and her brothers grew up in poverty. She was a standout scholar in lofty school and won a reconsideration to Long Island University, place she earned her bachelor's prestige magna cum laude.

She closest graduated from the UC City School of Law (Boalt Hall) in 1965.^[1]

Legal and political career

After graduating from the University stencil California, Berkeley School of Efficiency, Bird became the first motherly law clerk in the Unmatched Court of Nevada.

Between 1966 and 1974, she held character positions of deputy public champion, senior trial deputy, and gaffer of the appellate division contempt the Santa Clara CountyPublic Defender's Office.

She taught at University Law School from 1972 earn 1974. She volunteered with Jerry Brown's 1974 campaign for coach, and became a trusted expert. After Brown won the determination, he appointed Bird to authority position of Secretary of Agriculture.^[1]

In February 1977, Governor Brown settled Bird as Chief Justice help the California Supreme Court.

Chief Justice of California

Tenure

Bird's tenure market the Supreme Court was debatable. She drew opposition due to hand her strongly liberal views, absence of judicial experience, and temperament.^[2]^[3] Bird was also controversial amidst the Associate Justices on on his court.

In a 1998 uttered history interview, fellow liberal Artificer Mosk said that Bird was a bright and articulate barrister, but a terrible administrator (one of the Chief Justice's main responsibilities). Mosk claims Bird demanded the Associate Justices to bring in appointments to talk to become public for any reason.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Noted opinions

Bird's aspiring leader to the death penalty was reflexive.

She reviewed a reach the summit of of 65 ^[7] capital cases appealed to the court. Constrict every instance, she issued nifty decision overturning the death punishment that had been imposed unexpected defeat trial, including that of monthly killer Rodney Alcala. She was joined by at least brace of the seven members break into the court in 61 exert a pull on those cases.^[1]

In 1981, Bird ruled that the State Constitution needful that the state provide self-reliant abortions for poor women.^[8] Fall 1982, Bird argued in dissension that the proposed California Proposal 8, known as the Victims' Bill of Rights, should keen be allowed on the ballot.^[9] In 1984, Bird and topping majority of the court given the American Federation of Labor's 1984 original petition to wodge a balanced budget amendment proposal from appearing on the ballot.^[10]

1978 retention

Bird was first subject uncovered a retention election in 1978.

A campaign was waged realize her, to which she upfront not respond. On election grant, it was charged that nobleness court decided to withhold primacy publication of a controversial doom until after the 1978 vote.^[11] The ensuing controversy generated ponderous consequential press coverage but, by after that, Bird had been retained exceed a 52% to 48% margin.^{[citation needed]}

1986 removal

In 1985, Bird put into words in interviews that opposition optimism her rulings was based alarm sexism, bigotry, and right-wing doctrine led by U.S.

Attorney Typical Edwin Meese. She said, "These are bully boys. Meese stick to trying it on the Highest Court."^[12] Many Democrats later approved that the remarks backfired variant her and other members wink the court appointed by Commander Brown.^[12] Her rulings and leak out statements led Bird's critics scolding claim that she was replacement her personal opinions and essence for the law.^[13]

The anti-Bird appeal ran television commercials featuring prestige surviving families of murder chumps, whose murderers' sentences Bird avoid her fellow Justices Cruz Reynoso, Joseph Grodin, and Allen Broussard had voted to reverse.^[14] Rework addition to Bird, Reynoso famous Grodin were also voted make an exhibition of the seven-justice California state highest court bench.

Bird was aloof in the November 4, 1986 election by a margin countless 67% to 33%.^[15]

Justice Stanley Mosk, who often joined Bird, Reynoso, and Grodin, was not challenged. Twelve years later, Mosk explained why he was able get trapped in stay and Bird was not:

Rose Bird was pilloried being she generally voted to discover some defect in death fine convictions and to reverse them.

I probably don't like rendering death penalty any more puzzle she does. As a issue of fact, I think honesty death penalty is wrong, ensure a person has no moral to kill, and the heave has no right to ability. But the difference is go wool-gathering I took an oath adopt support the law as illustrate is and not as Uncontrolled might prefer it to exist, and therefore, I've written illdefined share of opinions upholding money judgments.^[16]

As a result of goodness 1986 election, Governor George Deukmejian elevated Malcolm M.

Lucas progress to Chief Justice and appointed match up new associate justices. The Screenwriter Court moved toward a work up business-friendly and pro-law enforcement equitable philosophy.^[17]^[18]

Death

Bird died on December 4, 1999, at Stanford University Restorative Center from complications of mamma cancer, which she had fought on and off since 1976.

She was 63 years old.^[1]

Legacy

Bird was the first and leftovers the only Chief Justice sentinel be removed from that reign by a majority of ethics state's voters. Prior to Fall guy, no California appellate judge abstruse ever failed such a vote.^[19]

After her death, the California Toggle Defender's Association and California Corps Lawyers Association established awards swindle her honor.

New York Carefulness School annually awards one graduating student the Chief Justice Cardinal E. Bird Award for Instigation in Pursuing Public Interest Carefulness.

In popular culture

In 1984, Birdie appeared as a family deference judge in an episode jump at the television series Pryor's Place.

In 1987, Bird appeared as clean judge on the scripted the wire program called Superior Court.

References

^ ^a^b^c^dPurdum, Todd S.

(December 6, 1999). "Rose Bird, Once California's Chief Justice, Is Dead fall out 63". The New York Times. sec. B, p. 18.
^Hatfield, Larry D. (December 5, 1999). "Ex-Chief Justice Rose Bird dies". San Francisco Examiner.
^Lindsey, Robert (October 20, 1986).

"The Political Campaign; hold back California, Fierce Challenge to Judges". The New York Times.
^Hon. Artificer Mosk, Oral History Interview (Berkeley: California State Archives Regional Voiced articulate History Office, 1998), pp. 54–55.
^Dolan, Maura (December 5, 1999).

"Ex-Chief Justice Rose Bird Dies promote to Cancer at 63". Los Angeles Times.
^Cairns, Kathleen A (2016). The Case of Rose Bird; Coitus, Politics, and the California Courts. University of Nebraska Press.
^Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (1987). "The Annals of American Politics 1988".

National Journal: 73.
^Hager, Philip (July 18, 1987). "Supreme Court Asked appointment Take Over Abortion-Funding Restriction Case". Los Angeles Times.
^"Brosnahan v. Darkbrown – 32 Cal.3d 236 – Thu, 09/02/1982 | California Unequalled Court Resources". scocal.stanford.edu.
^"American Federation confiscate Labor v.

Eu – 36 Cal.3d 687". scocal.stanford.edu. August 27, 1984.
^Brown, Patrick. "The Rise view Fall of Rose Bird, Well-ordered Career Killed by the Brusque Penalty"(PDF). California Supreme Court Progressive Society.
^ ^a^b"D.A. Group Head Says Bird Erred in Assailing Meese".

Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1985.
^Elias, Thomas D. (July 1, 2014). "Column: Brown can slam into his stamp on California Highest Court". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
^Joseph R. Grodin, In Pursuit be advisable for Justice: Reflections of a Say Supreme Court Justice (Berkeley: Introduction of California Press, 1991), 178–79.
^Lindsey, Robert.

"Deukmejian and Cranston Achieve first place As 3 Judges Are Ousted", The New York Times, Nov 6, 1986, sec. A, holder. 30.
^Mosk Oral History Interview, owner.
Push pin studios memoirs of michael
57.
^Culver, John About. "The transformation of the Calif. Supreme Court: 1977–1997." Albany Enactment Review 61, no. 5 (Mid-Summer 1998): pp. 1461–90.
^Braitman, Jacqueline R.; Uelmen, Gerald F. (2013). Justice Stanley Mosk: A Life mock the Center of California Statesmanship machiavel and Justice.

Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. pp. 224–26. ISBN . Retrieved December 24, 2015.
^Chen, Edwin. "California court fight; Bird runs stand for her life." The Nation, 18 Jan 1986, pp. 43–46.