FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2015
CONTACT
Amanda Bosquez, abosquez@naleo.org
(202) 546-2536, ext. 112, (361) 548-6989 (cell)
Paula Valle Castanon, pvalle@naleo.org
(213) 747-7606 ext. 4414, (323) 253-6431 (cell)
NALEO Mourns Loss of Senior Circuit Judge Arthur L. Alarcón
Judge Alarcón was the first Latino to serve on the United States Court of Appeals
for the Ninth Circuit
Washington, D.C. - The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) issued the following statement regarding the passing of Senior Circuit Judge Arthur L. Alarcón:
“NALEO joins the state of California and the legal community nationwide in mourning the loss of Senior Circuit Judge Arthur L. Alarcón. A trailblazer with a deep commitment to the law and pursuit of justice, Alarcón was the first Latino to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He passed away in his home at the age of 89 on January 28, 2015.
“Born in Los Angeles in 1925, Alarcón was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in World War II. He went to school using G.I. benefits, earning his B.A. in political science from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1949, and his LL.B. in 1951 from the USC School of Law, where he was editor of the Law Review.
“Nominated by President Carter, Alarcón came onto the Ninth Circuit bench in 1979, becoming the first Latino judge to sit on the court. Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, Alarcón had served as a judge of the state courts in California for 15 years. He was first appointed by Governor Edmund Brown, Sr. to serve on the Los Angeles Superior Court from 1964 to 1978. He went on to serve as an associate justice of the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District in Los Angeles from 1978 to 1979.
“Throughout his accomplished career, Alarcón remained active in the community, dedicating his time to several organizations and causes that aimed to promote opportunities for veterans, Latinos and youth. He was the founder and first president of the Mexican-American Scholarship Foundation Assisting Careers in Law, and a board member of the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club.
“A Judge for more than 50 years, Alarcón’s dedication to the law will be missed. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at this time.”
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About NALEO
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) is the leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials.
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