A Court of Immigrants

Next week the Court will hear arguments in the Garcia case about whether an undocumented Mexican immigrant who passed the bar can become a licensed attorney. Emily Green's excellent cover story in today's DJ -- "The California Supreme Court: A Nation of Immigrants' unto itself" -- covers the immigrant backgrounds of the justices. Here's a snippet (but you'll want to read the whole article):

Six of the seven justices come from families that are first- or second-generation American. Kennard was born on the island of Java and came to this country from Holland. Four of her colleagues have parents who immigrated to the U.S., and one has grandparents who did. Like most immigrants' stories, theirs bear a common theme: they and their elders came to this country in search of a better life. ... All six justices are the first in their families to become lawyers.