Mariana Pfaelzer
| Mariana Pfaelzer | |
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California | |
|
In office December 31, 1997 – May 14, 2015 | |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California | |
|
In office August 8, 1978 – December 31, 1997 | |
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Francis C. Whelan |
| Succeeded by | Nora Margaret Manella |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 4, 1926 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died |
May 14, 2015 (aged 89) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater |
University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A.) University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law (J.D.) |
Mariana R. Pfaelzer (February 4, 1926 – May 14, 2015) was a United States federal judge.
Born in Los Angeles, California in 1926,[1] Pfaelzer received an A.B. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1949 and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law in 1957. She was in private practice in Los Angeles, California from 1957 to 1978.
On August 8, 1978, Pfaelzer was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California vacated by Francis C. Whelan. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 22, 1978, and received commission the next day. She was the first female District Judge appointed to that District. She assumed senior status on December 31, 1997.
She is noted for her role in striking down California's Proposition 187, which would have denied services to illegal aliens.[2] Pfaelzer handed down a $600 million judgment against Countrywide Financial.[3]
On May 14, 2015, Pfaelzer died after serving on the federal bench for nearly 40 years.[4] George H. King, the Chief District Court Judge for the Central District of California, noted that she "was the epitome of what a federal judge ought to be . . . presi[ding] with brilliance, analytical rigor, practicality, wisdom, grace and courage."[5]
She was married to Frank Rothman, a lawyer.[6]
References
- ↑
- ↑ ACLU Press Release Regarding Prop 187
- ↑ National Mortgage Reporter August, 3rd 2010: $600 Judgment Against Countrywide
- ↑ Egelko, Bob (1 June 2015). "Mariana Pfaelzer, judge who threw out anti-immigrant law, dies". sfgate.com. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ↑ Passing of the Honorable Mariana R. Pfaelzer
- ↑ Pollack, Andrew (27 April 2000). "Frank Rothman Is Dead at 73; Lawyer Defended the N.F.L.". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
He is survived by his wife, Mariana Pfaelzer, a United States district judge in Los Angeles...
Sources
- Mariana Pfaelzer at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis C. Whelan |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California 1978–1997 |
Succeeded by Nora Margaret Manella |