Manuel A. Ramirez, Presiding Justice

Name: Manuel A. Ramirez

Position: Justice - Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Two

• Born 1948 - Los Angeles, California
• Married 27 years - four children

• J.D., Loyola University School of Law (now Loyola Law School), Los Angeles, 1974
• Graduate of Whittier College 1970. Major: political science and international relations
• Judicial Education Courses: Chief Judges Conference, 1992, 1995
• Miscellaneous Continuing Education of the Bar courses

• Admitted to California Bar in 1976 and to practice before the Federal Central District
• Deputy District Attorney, Orange County, 1976-1983 - misdemeanor prosecutions, writs and appeals, felony panel assignment (major felony cases, including death penalty), charter member of sexual assault and vertical prosecution unit, and Assistant Division Chief, Family Support Unit
• Judge - Municipal Court - law and motion, small claims, traffic, felony arraignment and preliminary hearing calendars, and misdemeanor jury trials - 1983-1986 - appointed by Governor George Deukmejian
• Judge - Superior Court - civil, criminal, juvenile, adoptions and minor's compromises, and mental health departments - 1986-1990 - appointed by Governor George Deukmejian
• Presiding Justice - Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Two - 1990-date - appointed by Governor George Deukmejian
• Associate Justice pro tempore, California Supreme Court - three occasions: 1992, 1994, 1995 (see Menendez v. Superior Court (1992) 3 Cal.4th 435; Applied Equipment Corp v. Litton Saudi Arabia Ltd. (1994) 7 Cal.4th 503; In re Sassounian (1995) 9 Cal.4th 535

• California Judges Association (member, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991)
• Riverside County Bar Association (honorary member)
• Orange County Bar Association (member, 1976 [honorary since 1983])
• Orange County Deputy District Attorneys Association (member, including offices of Secretary-Treasurer and Board member, 1980-1983)
• Orange County Mexican-American Bar Association (member, 1976-1983)

• Richard M. Nixon Scholarship Award, Whittier College
• Richard M. Heyden Memorial Scholarship, Whittier College
• Outstanding Hispanic Alumni Award, Whittier College
• Constitutional Rights Trial Judge of the Year, 1989
• Developmental Disabilities Center of Orange County Trial Judge of the Year, 1989
• California State Senate Certificate of Recognition, John Seymour, 35th Senate District, 1990
• Serafines De Orange County Judge of the Year, 1990
• Loyola University School of Law (now Loyola Law School), Outstanding Hispanic Alumni Award, 1991

• Continuing panelist - Riverside County Office of Education, Superintendents' Legal Seminar, 1992-date. Topics: First Amendment Rights for Students; District and Superintendent Liability Regarding Student Harassment and Sexual Abuse; School Security and Safety: Crime and Violence on School Campuses; Religion in the Schools; Drug Testing of Students and Employees
• Orange County Mock Trial Judge - 1984 to present
• Instructor - Paralegal Studies, University of California Irvine, Extension Program, 1988-1996
• Commencement speaker - San Bernardino Sheriff's Academy graduating class, 1991-1993
• Faculty, Seminar Leader - California Judicial College, Berkeley, 1986

• Inaugural member and co-founder - Casita de San José (home for abused children), 1983-1986
• Charter member, co-founder and co-chairman - Efren Herrera Scholarship Foundation, 1987-1996
• Volunteer - Adopt-a-Class Program, 1988-1997
• Volunteer cook for the homeless - Southwest Community Center, Santa Ana, 1993 to date
• Coach - Little League, soccer, National Junior Basketball, Pop Warner Football and Bobettes Baseball, 1968-1996