Herbert Choy
| Herbert Choy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
|
In office October 3, 1984 – March 10, 2004 | |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
|
In office April 23, 1971 – October 3, 1984 | |
| Appointed by | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Stanley Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Melvin T. Brunetti |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Herbert Young Cho Choy January 6, 1916 Makaweli, Kauai, Hawaii |
| Died |
March 10, 2004 (aged 88) Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Education |
University of Hawaii (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 최영조 |
| Revised Romanization | Choe Yeong-jo |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ch'oe Yŏng-cho |
Herbert Young Cho Choy (January 6, 1916 – March 10, 2004) was the first Asian American to serve as a United States federal judge and the first person of Korean ancestry to be admitted to the bar in the United States.[1] He served as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Education and career
Born to Korean immigrants who worked in sugar plantations in Hawaii on January 6, 1916, in Makaweli, Kauai, Hawaii, Choy received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938 from the University of Hawaii. He received a Juris Doctor in 1941 from Harvard Law School. He served in the Hawaii Territorial Guard from 1941 to 1942. He served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946. In 1946, Choy served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. Choy was in private practice in Honolulu, Hawaii, from 1946 to 1971. He was the first person of Korean ancestry to be admitted to the practice of law in the United States. He served with the law firm of Fong Miho Choy & Robinson from 1947 to 1957, with one of his partners being future United States Senator Hiram Fong. From 1957 to 1958, Choy served as Attorney General for the Territory of Hawaii.[2]
Federal judicial service
At the recommendation of Senator Fong, Choy was nominated by President Richard Nixon on April 7, 1971, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated by Judge Stanley Nelson Barnes. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 21, 1971, and received his commission on April 23, 1971. He was the first Asian American on the federal bench as well as the first Hawaii native. He assumed senior status on October 3, 1984. His service terminated on March 10, 2004, due to his death.[2]
Former clerk
In 2001, one of Choy's former law clerks, Richard Clifton, became the second judge from Hawaii to serve on the Ninth Circuit.
Notable cases
Choy authored many significant opinions, upholding the constitutionality of a law allowing child sexual abuse victims to testify via closed-circuit television, allowing a Muslim inmate to sue Phoenix-area jail officials for imposing discriminatory security measures at Muslim services, and upholding California's "green advertising" law regulating advertisers' claims about "biodegradable" or "recycled" products.
Death
Choy died in Honolulu on March 10, 2004 due to complications from pneumonia.[3]
References
- ↑ "Isle Judge was Asian Pioneer in the Law Field Nationwide". archives.starbulletin.com. March 12, 2004. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- 1 2 Herbert Young Cho Choy at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- ↑ "Herbert Choy served on 9th Circuit Court". the.honoluluadvertiser.com. March 12, 2004. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
External links
- Herbert Young Cho Choy at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Stanley Barnes |
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 1971–1984 |
Succeeded by Melvin T. Brunetti |