Latino nominated to California Supreme Court
Stanford law Professor Mariano-Florentino Cuellar won a unanimous vote from a state commission Thursday, August 28, for his nomination to the California Supreme Court. He…
The Mexican-born Stanford law professor Mariano-Florentino Cuellar confirmed to the California Supreme Court on Thursday August 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Office of Gov. Jerry Brown)
Stanford law Professor Mariano-Florentino Cuellar won a unanimous vote from a state commission Thursday, August 28, for his nomination to the California Supreme Court.
He will be the third Latino and the first immigrant of Latino origin in such position. The Commission described him as exceptionally well-qualified, its highest rating.
Cuellar is a renowned scholar who has served two presidents and made significant contributions to both political science and the law, Gov. Jerry Brown said about his nominee. His vast knowledge and even temperament will without question add further luster to our highest court.
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But first, Cuellar must be confirmed by voters next November 4th. So far, he is not facing any opposition.
Cuellar was born in the northern Mexican town of Matamoros and crossed the border daily to attend school in Brownsville, Texas. His family immigrated to Calexico, on the USA-Mexico border, when he was 14 and his father got a job teaching Spanish.
Mariano-Florentino Cuellar approved for spot on California Supreme Court (Credit: Stanford University)
Cuellar later attended Harvard and Yale Law School and obtained a doctorate in political science at Stanford, California, where he has taught since 2001. His curriculum looks really busy.
Cuellar specialties are criminal and international laws; he has also interest on public organizations, legislation, public health law, and immigration and citizenship, according to Stanfords website.
He has worked in two presidential administrations. During 2009-2010, he served as Special Assistant to the President for Justice and Regulatory Policy at the White House.
Among other issues, Cuellar worked on enhancing food safety standards, improving public health agencies, law enforcement and sentencing policy, regulatory transparency, immigration, and the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review. Before working at the White House, he co-chaired the Obama-Biden Transitions Immigration Policy Working Group.
During the second term of the Clinton Administration, he worked at the U.S. Department of the Treasury as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Enforcement, where he focused on countering financial crime, improving border coordination, and enhancing anti-corruption measures.
Cuellar is married to Lucy Haeran Koh, an U.S. District Judge and has two children.
Political consequences of Cuellar nomination
If confirmed by voters, Cuellar nomination will put Gov. Jerry Brown a step closer to reshaping the Republican-dominated court.
Cuellar a registered Democrat would succeed conservative Justice Marvin Baxter on the court, who is retiring in January.
Nevertheless, Gov. Brown has yet to make another nomination because of the retiring of Justice Joyce Kennard last April.
These two appointments would mean a new majority within the Court, moving it somewhat to the left or, in any case, the Californias Supreme Court will cease to be the conservative one Republicans worked hard for.
Republican appointees have held a majority since 1986, when Chief Justice Rose Bird and Justices Cruz Reynoso and Joseph Grodin, were voted out of office after an aggressive campaign in which then Gov. George Duekmejian supported strongly, accusing those judges of being too liberals and opposed to the death penalty.
Among the issues awaiting review by the court are financing for Brown’s proposed high-speed rail system opposed by conservatives and cases on labor, pensions and environmental law. This new majority could make a difference in criminal law, in which the current court generally sides with prosecutors. Supreme Court justices make $225,342 a year.
