John Arguelles

John Arthur Arguelles[3] (August 22, 1927 – April 10, 2022) was an American attorney and associate justice of the Supreme Court of California from March 18, 1987, to March 1, 1989. Arguelles was the second Latino to serve on California's high court and was one of the founding members of the Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles.[4]

John A. Arguelles
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
In office
March 18, 1987 – March 1, 1989
Nominated byGeorge Deukmejian
Preceded byMalcolm Lucas
Succeeded byJoyce L. Kennard
Personal details
Born(1927-08-22)August 22, 1927[1]
Los Angeles, California
DiedApril 10, 2022(2022-04-10) (aged 94)[2]
SpouseMartha
Children3
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA, JD)

Early life and education

Born in Los Angeles, California, Arguelles attended Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, graduating in 1945.[5] He served in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1945 to 1946.[6] After his discharge, he received a B.A. in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1950, and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law in 1954.[7][8]

Arguelles was admitted to the California State Bar on January 5, 1955, he was in private practice with the firm of Munnell, Mullendore, Peetris & Arguelles in Los Angeles from 1955 to 1963.[8] He then held a series of judicial offices.

He was appointed by Governor Pat Brown as a Judge of the East Los Angeles Municipal Court, serving December 4, 1963 – September 19, 1969.[8] In 1969, Governor Ronald Reagan appointed Arguelles as a Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court, where he presided for nearly 15 years from September 19, 1969 to May 14, 1984.[8] In 1984, Governor George Deukmejian elevated Arguelles to Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division 4, where he served May 14, 1984 – March 18, 1987.[8] Finally, Arguelles was appointed by Governor Deukmejian as an associate justice of the California Supreme Court, March 18, 1987 – March 1, 1989.[9][10] Though a Democrat, Arguelles was part of the conservative majority on the previously liberal-minded court.[8][11][12]

Following his court service, he became counsel to the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and also served as an arbitrator and mediator.[13] In 1992, he was a special consultant to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to study how to cut litigation costs.[14]

Arguelles was vice-chair of the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department, chaired by Warren Christopher, which was created following the videotaped beating of Rodney King by police.[15][16][17][18]

Honors and awards

In 1987, Arguelles was lauded by UCLA Law School as Alumni of the Year and, in 1989, he received the UCLA Professional Achievement Award.[19][20] In 2003, Arguelles was honored as Judge of the Year by the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association.[21]

Arguelles was a member of the California branch of the Sons of the American Revolution.[22]

See also

References
  1. Arguelles bio.
  2. "In Memoriam: Former California Supreme Court Justice John A. Arguelles". California Courts Newsroom. April 21, 2022.
  3. University of California Register, 1953-1954. Vol. II.
  4. "Former California Supreme Court Justice John A. Arguelles '54 Dies at 94 | UCLA Law". law.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  5. "Notable Alumni of Garfield High School". Garfield High School (Los Angeles, CA). Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  6. "Interviews With World War II Veterans at the Roybal Community Center". Roybal Foundation. January 9, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  7. Schultz, Jeffrey D., ed. (2000). Encyclopedia of Minorities in American Politics: Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing. p. 419. ISBN 1573561495. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  8. John A. Arguelles biography at California Courts.
  9. Hager, Philip (February 19, 1987). "Deukmejian's Supreme Court Nominees: John A. Arguelles: A Latino and Democrat, He's a Conservative Who Tries to Conform to Legal Precedents". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  10. "Deukmejian Names 3 To State Supreme Court". New York Times. Associated Press. February 9, 1987. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  11. Hager, Philip (November 22, 1988). "Arguelles to Leave State's Supreme Court on March 1". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  12. Braitman, Jacqueline R.; Uelmen, Gerald F. (2012). Justice Stanley Mosk: A Life at the Center of California Politics and Justice. McFarland Press. p. 224. ISBN 978-0786468416.
  13. "Hon. John A. Arguelles". Advantage Arbitration and Mediation Service. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  14. "Arguelles to Study Ways to Cut Litigation Costs". Los Angeles Times. March 18, 1992. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  15. Christopher, Warren, ed. (1991). Report of the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department. Los Angeles, CA: DIANE Publishing. ISBN 078814913X.
  16. Jacobs, Ronald M. (2000). Race, Media, and the Crisis of Civil Society: From Watts to Rodney King. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. p. 103. ISBN 0521625785.
  17. Curran, James; Liebes, Tamar, eds. (2002). Media, Ritual and Identity. Routledge Press. p. 37. ISBN 1134721889. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  18. Christopher, Warren (2001). Chances of a Lifetime: A Memoir. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. p. 129. ISBN 0743216326. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  19. "Alumni of the Year-Past Recipients". UCLA Law School. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  20. "Judges of UCLA Law--John Arguelles". UCLA School of Law Magazine. 25 (1): 9. Fall 2002. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  21. "Annual Dinner Past Honorees". Orange County Hispanic Bar Association. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  22. "John A. Arguelles Admitted to Membership". Golden State Patriot. February 1997. p. 2. Retrieved June 8, 2017.

See also
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