JABA Mourns the Passing of the Honorable Robert M. Takasugi

Robert M. Takasugi was born in Tacoma, Washington on September 12, 1930, to Japanese parents who immigrated to the United States in search of a better life.  In 1942 after the outbreak of World War II, his family was imprisoned in an internment camp in Tule Lake, California along with 130,000 other Japanese Americans.  At the age of 12, he lost his father due to the lack of medical care in the camps.   After the war, the Takasugi family relocated to Los Angeles where Robert attended Belmont High School.  He continued his education at UCLA where he met his wife Dorothy.  He graduated with a business degree in 1953.

Despite his childhood incarceration by the country of his birth, Robert reported for duty when called to serve during the Korean War.  Upon discharge, he attended law school at the University of Southern California during a time when there was only one African American, one Asian, one Latino, and one woman in the class.
 
 Due to the social climate when Robert graduated in 1959, he and the only Latino in the class (now retired Judge Carlos Velarde) found themselves without job offers.  They went into private practice together in East Los Angeles.  Robert was appointed to the East Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1973 and was elevated to the Superior Court in 1975.  He was appointed to the U.S. District Court in 1976 and became the first Japanese American on the mainland to be appointed to the federal bench.
 
While many may know him for presiding over the John DeLorean cocaine trafficking trial in 1984, it was either fate or destiny that placed a challenge to the Patriot Act during post-9/11 hysteria on his court docket.  In 2002, he found broad claims of “military necessity” and “national security” could not override the Constitution and Due Process as it had during his childhood.
 
One of his proudest legacies might be the free bar review course he started in his dining room some 40 years ago.  He tutored hundreds of lawyers, and what began as friends helping friends has become a full ?service bar review for “people who help people.”  His son runs the Pro Bono Bar Review with 14 volunteer instructors and a donated conference room.
 
He is survived by his wife Dorothy, son Jon (Haydeh), daughter Lesli, two grandchildren, Kinuyo and Matthew Takasugi.  He is also survived by his older brother Terry (Mihoko), sister Misao Takasugi, and many nieces and nephews.  
 
Judge Takasugi passed away on August 4, 2009 at the age of 78. 

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Tax deductible contributions may be made to the Robert M. Takasugi Pro Bono Bar Review.  Please make checks out to “JABA Educational Foundation” with “Pro Bono Bar Review” on the Memo line, and send to ??the Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation; P.O. Box 86063; Los Angeles, CA 90086.
 
JABA extends its deepest sympathy to Judge Robert Takasugi's son, Judge Jon R. Takasugi, and to the Takasugi family.


JABA's MCLE Event Featuring Holly Fujie:
 
On August 25, 2009, the President of the California State Bar, Holly Fujie spoke at a MCLE event hosted by JABA and Perkins Coie LLP.  The topic was the benefits of diversity for the bench and bar.  Ms. Fujie spoke candidly about the challenges faced by diverse attorneys, and the benefits and insight that they bring as lawyers and judges.  As a JABA member herself, Ms. Fujie's presentation was especially relevant to JABA members.  Approximately 30 people attended the event, which took place in Century City. Fukuto.

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The Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation (JEF) 2008 Scholarship Applications are now available. Please go to the Scholarships page for more information. Awards are given in honor of Justice John F. Aiso, Justice Stephen K. Tamura, and Judge Edward Y. Kakita, highly distinguished and pioneering Asian American judges, and through the Lim, Ruger & Kim Foundation.

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Judicial Candidate Mentoring Program

JABA is pleased to announce the establishment of its Judicial Candidate Mentoring Program. JABA’s goal, through this program, is to promote and enhance judicial opportunities for its members by providing individual mentoring to those interested in a judicial career. If you are interested in becoming a judge or commissioner and would like to be mentored on an individual and confidential basis, please contact Judicial Appointments Committee Chair Katherine Hikida at (213) 894-2285. You must be a JABA member (add link to membership application) to participate in the Judicial Candidate Mentoring Program. If you are a judicial officer interested in mentoring, please contact Katherine Hikida. JABA thanks you for your support!

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