LOS ANGELES – Please attribute the following statement on the passing of Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund):
“Judge Stephen Reinhardt was a powerful force for what is good and righteous in a court system that too often strays from the path of justice. He was a liberal lion of unparalleled skill and intellect.
As one of his many law clerks, I learned so much from Judge Reinhardt in the course of a year of working for him; I have learned even more from his example in the years since.
‘Irreplaceable,' an adjective oft used hyperbolically in remembrances, is in the case of Judge Reinhardt apt, accurate, and the first descriptor to come to mind. His place in history’s judicial firmament is secure, and his legacy in cases, ideas, and people has been and will be deep and long-lasting.
Our heartfelt condolences to Judge Reinhardt’s incredibly supportive family.”