U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt, long regarded as one of the nation’s most liberal appellate court jurists, died in Los Angeles Thursday of a heart attack at age 87.
According to a spokesman for the 9th Circuit, Reinhardt died during a visit to a dermatologist.
“All of us here at the 9th Circuit are shocked and deeply saddened by Judge Reinhardt’s death,” said 9th Circuit Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas. “We have lost a wonderful colleague and friend. As a judge, he was deeply principled, fiercely passionate about the law and fearless in his decisions.
“He will be remembered as one of the giants of the federal bench. He had a great life that ended much too soon.”
Reinhardt was appointed to the bench in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter and confirmed by the U.S. Senate the following year. A New York native, Reinhardt was a graduate of Pomona College and earned his law degree at Yale Law School.
After serving two years in the U.S. Air Force, he served as a clerk for a federal judge in the District of Columbia, then entered private practice in Los Angeles. He served as an informal adviser to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and served on the city’s Police Commission from 1975 until his appointment to the 9th Circuit.
Reinhardt was married to Ramona Ripston, former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.