Professor of Law, Civil Rights Advocate, State’s 1st Latino Supreme Court Justice
by Carla Meyer and Karen Nikos-Rose
May 09, 2021
Cruz Reynoso, the trailblazing lawyer, jurist, law professor and the first Latino California Supreme Court justice, has died at age 90. He died Friday (May 7) at an elder care facility in Oroville, according to his family. Cause of death had not been determined.
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
In lieu of flowers, the Reynoso family asks for contributions to the Cruz and Jeannene Reynoso Scholarship for Legal Access at the UC Davis School of Law.
Memorial arrangements are pending.
A University of California, Davis, School of Law professor from 2001 to 2006, he remained devoted to the law school, and the University of California, as an emeritus professor teaching students, speaking at events and leading special projects until recently. To the School of Law community, he was the civil rights icon who always had a moment to talk in the halls, about the law, publ