News Scrapbook 1984

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San Diego, CA (San Diego Co.I Evening Tribune (Cir. D 127,454) UL 2 198

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Jlll,in

£ 11

1888

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San Diego, CA (San Diego Co.) San Diego Union (Cir. D. 217,32.41 (Cir. 5. 339,788)

Jlllen'• P. c. 8

1:s,. 1888 Murphy suggested for judge By Rivian Taylor "7035 Slaff Writer ~/-

ney general's office since 1977. He specializes in prosecution of people charged with committing crimes in Califorma who flee to Mexico. Rodriguez, a graduate.._of Unjyersi- ty ef Se:11 Diego and 1ts !aw &diool, was born in Tijuana. He ha lived in San Diego since 1955. Levitt, 58, has been on the Superior Court for 14 years. He received his law degree from the University of Southern California and his under- graduate degree from Pepperdine College. Before joining the bench he was a deputy district attorney, an assistant city attorney for the r1ty of La Mesa and in private practice for 15 years. He also served as president of the San Diego County Bar Association in 1968. Next month, Lopardo, 63, will mark his 13th anniversary as a judge. He is a graduate of Harvard Univer- sity Law School and Notre Dame University. Lopardo is a former president of the Escondido Union High School District Board of Educa- tion. Besides Levitt and Lopardo, Deuk- mejian had earlier submitted the name of Riverside County Superior Court Judge Fred Meth y to the Bar commission for evaluation as a potential appointee to the Court of Appeal.

The Bar commission evaluates judicial candidates as qualified or not qualified based on responses to questionnaires sent to the legal com- munity and on interviews with the candidates. Under the law, the gover- nor is not bound to follow the com- m1SSion's recommendation, but is re- quired to submit the name of candi- dates for evaluation before appointing them. Murphy, w~o has been on the City Council almost four years, said he views a judicial appointment is an alternative to running for re-election next year or to seeking the mayor's position. While he said he bas ''al- ways been interested in being a judge,' he joined the council with as- pirations of one day becoming mayor. But be added, "It doesn't look to me like it (the mayor's position) will be available until 1988. That's a long time to wait." · A 1975 graduate of Stanford Law School, Murphy practiced law for five years before his December 1980 appointment to the council. He has not actively practiced law since. He also has a masters degree in business administration from Har- vard University and worked as re- gional marketing director for Bank of America before enrolling in law school. Murphy, who was born in a Chicago suburb, did his undergradu- ate work at the University of Illinois. Rodriguez, 33, has been with attor-

Gov. Deukmejian has submitted the name of City Councilman Dick Murphy to the state Bar as a possible appointee to the Municipal Court. Murphy, 41, said yesterday he ap- plied to be a judge because of his_ interest in public service and viewed the bench as an "alternative" to ei- ther remaining on the council or serving as mayor. "I don't consider my appointment as a judge as anywhere likely or im- minent," Murphy said. "I don't antici- pate an opening until 1985." There are currently no vacancies on the 23-judge San Diego Municipal Court, but several are expected to be created next year, when it is antici- pated that some Municipal Court judges will be elevated to fill newly- created judgeships or vacancies in Superior Court. Along with Murphy, Deukmejian submitted the name of Deputy Attor- ney General Jesus Rodriguez to the state Bar's Commission on Judicial Nominees/Evaluation for considera- tion to the Municipal bench. The governor also submitted the names of Supe ior Court judges Jack Levitt of San Diego and F.V. Lopar- do, who sits in the Vista branch of the Court, for consideration to the 4th District Court of Appeal. A vacancy on the appellate court will open on Aug. 1, when Justice Gordon Cologne retires.