Jerold Krieger
Encyclopedia
Jerold A. Krieger was a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court known for his work fighting for civil rights
for gays, minorities and the disadvantaged. As an openly gay judge, he served as Chairperson of the Sexual Orientation Fairness Subcommittee of the California Judicial Council
's Access and Fairness Advisory Committee. He was a co-founder of the world's first gay and lesbian
synagogue
. He served on the 2nd District Court of Appeal by special temporary appointment, and he hoped for a permanent post on that court.
, California
, the son of an ophthalmologist. After studying astronomy at the Summer Science Program
as a high school student in 1960, he graduated from the University of California, Riverside
with a bachelor's degree in political science and then from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1968.
, he was elected in 1974 to be president of the Association of Deputy Attorneys General. In private practice starting in 1977, he handled civil cases. Krieger was the chairman and treasurer for 1980 reelection campaign of Mike Roos for California State Assembly
. Roos recommended Krieger as a judicial appointee.
California Governor
Jerry Brown
named Krieger to the Los Angeles Municipal Court on December 31, 1982. It was Brown's last day before leaving office at the end of his second term. Krieger was the fifth and final openly gay judge appointed by Brown in his second term as governor, after having appointed none in his first term. Krieger noted that "The importance of my appointment was in the fact that it did not make headlines." Krieger joined the Municipal Court in 1983 and served until 1988, becoming the presiding judge of its Encino branch.
In 1988, Krieger successfully ran for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, winning by a large margin. He was unopposed for reelection in 1994 and 2000 and served on the Superior Court bench until his death from cancer on February 14, 2002.
Krieger said that "the first time I imposed the death sentence" was one of his most memorable cases on the bench. On the other hand, "civil trials are easy. Heck, it's only about money."
He regularly received praise from lawyers for his legal knowledge and fair decisions. He kept jurors involved and interested through long trials.
He was a member of the California Judicial Council
's Access and Fairness Advisory Committee and was chairperson of its Sexual Orientation Fairness Subcommittee.
The subcommittee conducted a six-year study, which was the first of its kind in the nation. It found many situations where people in the courts system, including parties to cases, workers, and jurors, were subject to bias. Krieger stated, "The study shows that there is both a perception and in some cases actual unequal treatment based upon sexual orientation."
"It's a wake-up call of how much work needs to be done," said Jon W. Davidson, attorney for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. "It has important consequences, because gays and lesbians are going to use the court system. The courts need to deal with [the inequalities] if they're committed to open access for all people."
Commenting on the study, Krieger said it is the laws that are prejudiced, not the judges and court employees. "I can be very fair," he said. "But I'm still not permitted to do a marriage of a gay couple."
Krieger's subcommittee made many recommendations for "ensuring that the court system is fair and accessible to all persons in the state of California" in regards to sexual orientation. These included improving training, developing a diverse pool of clerks and interns, changing the Standards of Judicial Administration to prevent retaliation against whistleblowers, and studying bias in hiring and promotion.
Krieger also was a co-founder in 1972 of the world's first gay and lesbian synagogue, Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim
. "In the gay community, you don't feel you can be Jewish, and in the Jewish community, you don't feel you can be gay. I'm still a Jew, and I'm also gay. The temple brings it together."
Judge Krieger was co-chair of the Lesbian and Gay Caucus of the California Democratic Party
. He developed a reputation as a civil rights activist and political strategist for Democratic candidates. He inspired and help found the Lawyers for Human Rights (now called the Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles) in 1979 and became its second president.
Rabbi Lisa Edwards of Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim
recalls that Judge Krieger "used to laugh and sigh with me at the irony that the state of California authorized the two of us to officiate and sign marriage licenses – could even do so for a couple who had been together one day – but that same state of California wouldn't let either of us marry our own partners of so many years." Krieger's life partner was Jon Smith.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
for gays, minorities and the disadvantaged. As an openly gay judge, he served as Chairperson of the Sexual Orientation Fairness Subcommittee of the California Judicial Council
Judicial Council of California
The Judicial Council of California is the rule-making arm of the California court system. It was created by an amendment to article VI of the California Constitution in 1926...
's Access and Fairness Advisory Committee. He was a co-founder of the world's first gay and lesbian
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
. He served on the 2nd District Court of Appeal by special temporary appointment, and he hoped for a permanent post on that court.
Early life and education
Krieger was born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the son of an ophthalmologist. After studying astronomy at the Summer Science Program
Summer Science Program
The Summer Science Program is an intense six-week summer program for intellectually talented high school students. The program is based on a collaborative research project in celestial mechanics. Students study astronomy, physics, spherical trigonometry, and calculus while working to take...
as a high school student in 1960, he graduated from the University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
with a bachelor's degree in political science and then from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1968.
Professional career and judicial service
As a California Deputy Attorney GeneralDeputy Attorney General
Deputy Attorney General is the second-highest-ranking official in a department of justice or of law, in various governments of the world. In those governments, the Deputy Attorney General oversees the day-to-day operation of the department, and may act as Attorney General during the absence of...
, he was elected in 1974 to be president of the Association of Deputy Attorneys General. In private practice starting in 1977, he handled civil cases. Krieger was the chairman and treasurer for 1980 reelection campaign of Mike Roos for California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
. Roos recommended Krieger as a judicial appointee.
California Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
named Krieger to the Los Angeles Municipal Court on December 31, 1982. It was Brown's last day before leaving office at the end of his second term. Krieger was the fifth and final openly gay judge appointed by Brown in his second term as governor, after having appointed none in his first term. Krieger noted that "The importance of my appointment was in the fact that it did not make headlines." Krieger joined the Municipal Court in 1983 and served until 1988, becoming the presiding judge of its Encino branch.
In 1988, Krieger successfully ran for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, winning by a large margin. He was unopposed for reelection in 1994 and 2000 and served on the Superior Court bench until his death from cancer on February 14, 2002.
Krieger said that "the first time I imposed the death sentence" was one of his most memorable cases on the bench. On the other hand, "civil trials are easy. Heck, it's only about money."
He regularly received praise from lawyers for his legal knowledge and fair decisions. He kept jurors involved and interested through long trials.
Equal rights
Krieger served as a role model on the bench for many openly gay judges who followed him.He was a member of the California Judicial Council
Judicial Council of California
The Judicial Council of California is the rule-making arm of the California court system. It was created by an amendment to article VI of the California Constitution in 1926...
's Access and Fairness Advisory Committee and was chairperson of its Sexual Orientation Fairness Subcommittee.
The subcommittee conducted a six-year study, which was the first of its kind in the nation. It found many situations where people in the courts system, including parties to cases, workers, and jurors, were subject to bias. Krieger stated, "The study shows that there is both a perception and in some cases actual unequal treatment based upon sexual orientation."
"It's a wake-up call of how much work needs to be done," said Jon W. Davidson, attorney for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. "It has important consequences, because gays and lesbians are going to use the court system. The courts need to deal with [the inequalities] if they're committed to open access for all people."
Commenting on the study, Krieger said it is the laws that are prejudiced, not the judges and court employees. "I can be very fair," he said. "But I'm still not permitted to do a marriage of a gay couple."
Krieger's subcommittee made many recommendations for "ensuring that the court system is fair and accessible to all persons in the state of California" in regards to sexual orientation. These included improving training, developing a diverse pool of clerks and interns, changing the Standards of Judicial Administration to prevent retaliation against whistleblowers, and studying bias in hiring and promotion.
Krieger also was a co-founder in 1972 of the world's first gay and lesbian synagogue, Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim
Beth Chayim Chadashim
, also called BCC, is a synagogue located at 6090 West Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, California. Affiliated with Reform Judaism, it was founded in 1972 as the world's first lesbian and gay synagogue. Current clergy is Rabbi Lisa Edwards and Cantor Juval Porat...
. "In the gay community, you don't feel you can be Jewish, and in the Jewish community, you don't feel you can be gay. I'm still a Jew, and I'm also gay. The temple brings it together."
Judge Krieger was co-chair of the Lesbian and Gay Caucus of the California Democratic Party
California Democratic Party
The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...
. He developed a reputation as a civil rights activist and political strategist for Democratic candidates. He inspired and help found the Lawyers for Human Rights (now called the Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles) in 1979 and became its second president.
Rabbi Lisa Edwards of Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim
Beth Chayim Chadashim
, also called BCC, is a synagogue located at 6090 West Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, California. Affiliated with Reform Judaism, it was founded in 1972 as the world's first lesbian and gay synagogue. Current clergy is Rabbi Lisa Edwards and Cantor Juval Porat...
recalls that Judge Krieger "used to laugh and sigh with me at the irony that the state of California authorized the two of us to officiate and sign marriage licenses – could even do so for a couple who had been together one day – but that same state of California wouldn't let either of us marry our own partners of so many years." Krieger's life partner was Jon Smith.