Cruz Reynoso

Cruz Reynoso
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
In office February 11, 1982 – January 4, 1987
Appointed by	Jerry Brown
Preceded by	Mathew O. Tobriner
Succeeded by	Marcus Kaufman
Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Third District
In office June 1976 – February 11, 1982
Appointed by	Jerry Brown
Personal details
Born	(1931-05-02)May 2, 1931 Brea, California, U.S.
Died	May 7, 2021(2021-05-07) (aged 90) Oroville, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Jeannene Harness ​ ​ (m. 1957; died 2007)​ [1] Elaine Rowen
Children	4
Education	Fullerton College (AA) Pomona College (BA) University of California, Berkeley (LLB)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1953–1955
Unit	Counterintelligence Corps

Cruz Reynoso (May 2, 1931 – May 7, 2021) was an American civil rights lawyer and jurist.

Reynoso was the first Chicano Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, serving from 1982 to 1987. He also served on the California Third District Court of Appeal.^[2] In 1986, along with two other liberal 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 removed 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 and five years at the UC Davis School of Law; he was 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.