Kennard announces retirement from CA Supreme Court
Justice Joyce L. Kennard will retire from the California
Supreme Court on April 5, which is 25 years to the day after she was appointed
by Gov. George Deukmejian.
 |
Joyce Kennard – AP photo
|
Following Kennard’s Feb. 11 announcement, a number of media
outlets offered retrospectives on her fascinating life and groundbreaking
career and began the speculation about whom Gov. Jerry Brown may appoint in her
place.
The Los
Angeles Times highlighted Kennard’s independent streak. The San
Francisco Chronicle recounted her legacy of “significant rulings … and
resounding dissents.”
The San
Jose Mercury News wrote that Brown’s track record suggests he’ll be looking
for “candidates with some intellectual firepower who might add
diversity to the nation’s largest judiciary.”
The Recorder
(subscription only) interviewed former staff members who talked about her
“high level of engagement” and her love for language and details.
The Daily Journal
(subscription only) quoted Kennard on her future plans saying “I will never
be a rent-a-judge,” referring to the private mediator/arbitrator path that has
become popular with retired judges.