DJ Profiles 2/3's Justice Aldrich

Today's DJ profiles Justice Richard Aldrich, the junior justice of 2/3 -- because he's only been in that division for 19 years! He notes that having an appellate specialist handle an appeal can "certainly help," especially because too many trial lawyers argue appeals "as if they're talking to a jury." The article calls 2/3 a "hot panel," a phrase also used in his 2007 DJ profile, which further explained that 2/3 meets before oral argument to identify interesting issues in each case. Practitioner quotes say that Justice Aldrich "prepares diligently," projects a true interest in cases, has "complete command" of the record, and "doesn't suffer those who play fast and loose with the facts." Justice Aldrich jokes that he hasn't "come very far" in life, because he grew up right down the street from his chambers in downtown L.A. The article notes that he is "the son of a Mexican immigrant and a plumber who taught himself concert piano" and was the first in his family to go to college.

"I'm 75 years old, but my mind is still good. At least my wife thinks so."

Also of appellate note in the DJ this week: Yesterday Jens Koepke had an article about the Kurwa opinion, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not File an Appeal. And Monday Justice Gilbert's column was You Don't Have to Jump Out of an Airplane, about interesting extracurricular activities enjoyed by judges and lawyers.

Further, yesterday the LACBA Appellate Courts Section was graced by an enlightening lunch-hour presentation from Division 8 Justices Bigelow, Rubin and Grimes, discussing that Division's oral tentative program.

• The Supreme Court is in LA this week.
• Want to be a judge? "California judges and lawyers running for judicial office must take a new online judicial ethics course within 60 days of filing for office, creating a campaign committee, or receiving a campaign contribution. The mandatory judicial ethics course for judicial candidates went online this week.
• Finally, 4/1 has announced here that it will destroy old appellate files unless reasons are given to retain specific certain files.