Cruz Reynoso
| Cruz Reynoso | |
|---|---|
| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California | |
|
In office 1981–1986 |
|
| Appointed by | Jerry Brown |
| Preceded by | Mathew O. Tobriner |
| Succeeded by | Marcus Kaufman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 2, 1931 Brea, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jeannene Reynoso (Deceased 2007) Elaine Rowen |
| Children | Trina Teresa Ranene Len Reid Rondall |
| Alma mater |
Pomona College UC Berkeley School of Law |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1953–1955 |
| Unit | Counterintelligence Corps |
Cruz Reynoso (born May 2, 1931) is an American civil rights lawyer and retired jurist.
Reynoso was the first Chicano Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, serving from 1982–87. He also served on the California Third District Court of Appeal. In 1986, along with two other members of the California Supreme Court—Chief Justice Rose Bird and Associate Justice Joseph Grodin—Reynoso became one of only three State Supreme Court justices ever recalled and ousted by voters under California's judicial-retention election system. He served as vice-chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1993 to 2004.
After leaving the bench, Reynoso spent ten years on the faculty of the UCLA School of Law; he is now professor emeritus. In 2000, Reynoso received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, for his efforts to address social inequities and his public service.
Reynoso was born in Brea, California. He grew up as one of 11 children, and from age eight worked as an agricultural worker in orange groves. His father was a farmworker.
When Reynoso was seven, the family moved to a barrio outside of La Habra, California. While there, he attended the Wilson Grammar School, a racially segregated grade school for children of Mexican descent. His junior high school was integrated, as was Fullerton Union High School, from which he graduated.
The United States Postal Service refused to provide Rural Free Delivery service within the barrio, even though non-minority families living nearby received the service. Reynoso circulated a petition demanding service; the Postal Service responded to his petition and began providing mail delivery to the barrio. He also challenged the local school board about the Wilson School, after which the school was desegregated.
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