Norman L. Epstein '55, J.D. '58

Hon. Norman L. Epstein '55, J.D. '58, has announced his retirement after 45 years of judicial service, effective Aug. 22. Epstein is currently Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Four.

After completing law school, as a Deputy Attorney General of California, Epstein represented the People in criminal appeals and was trial counsel for several state agencies. He was appointed the first chief counsel of the California State Colleges (now California State University). He was General Counsel and Vice Chancellor of the state university when Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him to the Los Angeles Municipal Court. He was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court by Governor Jerry Brown, to the Court of Appeal by Governor George Deukmejian, and to his present position by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Epstein has been the recipient of many honors and awards throughout his long career, including the UCLA Law Alumnus of the Year Award; the Bernard Jefferson Award for distinguished judicial education; the Distinguished Trial Jurist Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association; the Emil Gumpert Award from the Dispute Resolution Services section of that association; the Bernard Witkin Medal from the Board of Governors of the State Bar of California; the Career Achievement Award from the Criminal Justice Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association; and the Beacon of Justice Award from the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library.

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