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==Biographical information== |
==Biographical information== |
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===Early life=== |
===Early life=== |
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| − | Mendoza grew up in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. He suffered from [[chronic persistant |
+ | Mendoza grew up in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. He suffered from [[chronic persistant bursitis]] and was unable to drink alcohol, as it would likely kill him.<ref>"Judge Mendoza has chronic persistent hepatitis, which is a non-progressive form of liver inflammation. If he'd had enough to drink to blow point one on the blood-alcohol, he'd be dead right now." from [[Celestial Navigation]]</ref> |
He received his education from [[P.S. 138]] and the [[City University of New York]].<ref>"Mendoza attended P.S. 138 in Brooklyn, City University of New York, and the New York Police Department." from [[The Short List]]</ref> |
He received his education from [[P.S. 138]] and the [[City University of New York]].<ref>"Mendoza attended P.S. 138 in Brooklyn, City University of New York, and the New York Police Department." from [[The Short List]]</ref> |
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Revision as of 21:00, 26 December 2008
Roberto Mendoza is an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. He was appointed in 2000 by President Josiah Bartlet. He is married to Laura Mendoza and has one young son, Robbie Mendoza.
Biographical information
Early life
Mendoza grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He suffered from chronic persistant bursitis and was unable to drink alcohol, as it would likely kill him.[1]
He received his education from P.S. 138 and the City University of New York.[2]
He joined the New York City Police Department in 1965. In the 1970s, while on duty, he was shot in the leg. Instead of receiving full dispensation, he continued serving for the NYPD at a desk job, and began taking night classes for a law degree.[3]
He left the NYPD in 1976 to become the Assistant DA for Brooklyn. He would go on to serve as the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, and eventually be appointed as the Federal District Judge of the Eastern District.[4]
As a district judge, Mendoza's rulings were upheld by the Court of Appeals more often than any other judge in the country, which he attributed to being "right most of the time."[5]
Nomination to the Supreme Court
In 1999, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Crouch retired. Mendoza was put on the short list to fill his spot, underneath likely nominee Peyton Cabot Harrison III. Crouch believed Mendoza should have been the frontrunner, and persuaded President Bartlet to reconsider Mendoza for the nomination after Bartlet had all but decided on Harrison.[6]
After Harrison was discovered to be against the right to privacy, Bartlet decided to interview Mendoza, claiming to interview him for a spot on the "President's Commission for Hispanic Opportunity."[7]
At the meeting, Mendoza was surprised to learn that he was on the short list for the Supreme Court, and honored when Bartlet chose him for the spot. He accepted "with honor."[8]
The White House prepared for an uphill battle on Mendoza's confirmation, and White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler was placed as the person responsible for getting Mendoza confirmed.[9] This was on Simon Blye's list of almost insurmountable things the White House had to accomplish.[10]
After Leo McGarry's alcoholism and drug addiction was discovered, he hoped to maneuver things to cause the least embarrasment in the upcoming Mendoza confirmation.[11]
Mendoza's lack of presence on the Court was made more real after Simon Cruz's appeal for his execution was denied 5-3.[12]
Mendoza had trouble with the tradition of not speaking to the press before a confirmation. Toby Ziegler spent much time trying to keep Mendoza from speaking to the press.[13] While awaiting confirmation, Mendoza publicly criticized the American Bar Association, the AFL-CIO, and the New York state legislature.[14]
Arrest
Eight weeks after being picked by the President as his Supreme Court nominee, Roberto Mendoza went on vacation with his wife and son in Nova Scotia. While on vacation, he was summoned to the White House, to discuss his unprofessional manner, and decided to drive down there. He informed the White House it would take three days, as he planned to stop in Connecticut for antiquing.[15]
While driving through Wesley, Connecticut, Mendoza was pulled over by Sergeant McNamara for driving erratically. He refused to take a breathalyzer test as he believed it was an illegal search.[16]
He was placed under arrest for drunk driving[17] in front of his family.[18] This caused him to lash out at the police, prompting further arrests for resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct,[19]
Sam Seaborn and Toby Ziegler were sent to release Mendoza, with help from the Governor of Connecticut.[20] They forced the arresting officers to privately apologize to Judge Mendoza, and to his family, and put pressure on them not to file any reports of the incident.[21]
Josh Lyman, who was involved in the third installment of the Marjorie Dupont lecture series for 2000 at the time, promised the attendees that he would tell them the events of the night after the Senate confirms Mendoza.[22]
Service on the Supreme Court
Soon afterwards, Mendoza was confirmed by the Senate with very little "nay" votes. This caused celebration at the White House, although Toby was overworked because of it.[23]
Mendoza getting on the Supreme Court was considered the only victory in an entire year by Toby Ziegler.[24]
Mendoza's place on the Court was also on President Bartlet's personal list of accomplishments.[25]
On the Supreme Court, Mendoza was considered by Josh Lyman to have become a centrist, and was not as liberal as Chief Justice Roy Ashland.[26] However, conservative Supreme Court nominee Christopher Mulready listed only five centrists (Brannaghan, Hoyt, Clark, Lafeyette and Carmine) in his view of the court, suggesting Mendoza was viewed as a liberal by some.
Resume
Education
- HS Diploma - P.S. 138 in Brooklyn
- City University of New York
Career History
- 1965-1976 : Police Officer in the New York City Police Department
- 1976-1980 : Assistant District Attorney for Brooklyn
- Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District
- Federal District Judge of the Eastern District
- 2000-present : Associate Justice on the Supreme Court
Notes
Justice Mendoza was portrayed by veteran actor Edward James Olmos.
- ↑ "Judge Mendoza has chronic persistent hepatitis, which is a non-progressive form of liver inflammation. If he'd had enough to drink to blow point one on the blood-alcohol, he'd be dead right now." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Mendoza attended P.S. 138 in Brooklyn, City University of New York, and the New York Police Department." from The Short List
- ↑ "He got shot in the leg, and when they offered him a hundred percent dispensation, he took a desk job instead and went to law school at night." from The Short List
- ↑ "Assistant District Attorney Brooklyn '76 to '80, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eastern District, Federal District Judge, Eastern District." from The Short List
- ↑ "Judge Mendoza, I have a note that your rulings have been upheld by the Court of Appeals more than any other district judge in the country." from The Short List
- ↑ "Did you even consider Mendoza?" from The Short List
- ↑ "Is there such a thing as the president's...?" "It's the best I could do in short notice, Toby." from The Short List
- ↑ "You were not the first choice, but you are the last one, and the right one. Will you accept the nomination?" "With honor." from The Short List
- ↑ "It's gonna be an excruciating battle, Mr. Justice, one I have no intention of losing." from The Short List
- ↑ "The President's got a budget to pass, he's got to get Mendoza confirmed, and in nine months he's got to get a Democratic congress elected." from Take Out the Trash Day
- ↑ "I'm gonna need an exit strategy that'll cause the least embarrassment and turmoil during the Mendoza confirmation." from In Excelsis Deo
- ↑ "We've got to get Mendoza on the Bench." "If Mendoza was on the bench, they would have lost five-four. So what are we talking about?" from Take This Sabbath Day
- ↑ "You gotta make a lot of friends and Supreme Court nominees don't speak before their confirmation, they let the White House speak for them. Something Toby's had a little bit of trouble teaching Roberto Mendoza." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Judge Mendoza has, on various occasions, publicly criticized the American Bar Association, the AFL-CIO, and the New York state legislature." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Mendoza was summoned to the White House from his vacation in Nova Scotia. When you summon someone to the White House, you generally expect to see them within the hour. Judge Mendoza told us that he would see us in three days. Why three days? Because he was driving down to D.C., stopping in Connecticut to do some antiquing." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Because I was driving within the speed limit, I was driving on the right side of the road, I had valid tags and registration and as far as I know, I don't have any warrants for my arrest in Connecticut." "Absent just cause, Toby. The Breathalyzer's an illegal search. It's a civil rights violation." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "He's arrested for drunk driving." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "My kid was in the car, Toby. They patted me down and they handcuffed me in front of my nine year old boy. Then he and his mother got to see them put me in the squad car and drive away." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Drunk driving, resisting arrest, and I think disorderly conduct." "You think?" from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Sergeant, you've arrested a federal judge who's the President's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court." "You should get that. That's gonna be the Governor of Connecticut." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Your lucky night, officers. There isn't gonna be a report, there isn't going to be an investigation, no one's getting suspended. And no one's filing a hundred million dollar lawsuit against the county that they would almost surely win. But in this room, you're gonna apologize to Mr. Mendoza. And then you're gonna get in your squad car and you're gonna follow us and you're gonna apologize to his son." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Ask me back again after the Senate confirms Mendoza. You really should hear it, it's a good story." from Celestial Navigation
- ↑ "Toby's barely alive as a result of the Mendoza confirmation. This one's you. Let's go watch 'The Jackal.'" from Six Meetings Before Lunch
- ↑ "One victory in a year, Leo." "Mendoza. We got Mendoza on the Court." from Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
- ↑ "3.8 million new jobs... Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new acres for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we're not fighting a war, I've raised three children..." from Two Cathedrals
- ↑ "We've got centrists. We've got 6 of them plus 2 staunch conservatives plus Justice Ashland. The one clarion voice articulating a liberal vision. He's going to go and then what?" from The Supremes
| Supreme Court Justices | |
|---|---|
| CURRENT | |
| Lang (CHIEF) | Brannigan | Carmine | Clark | Dreifort | Hoyt | Lafayette | Mendoza | Mulready | |
| PAST | |
| Roy Ashland (CHIEF) | Joseph Crouch | Owen Brady | |
| PREDECESSOR Joseph Crouch |
Associate Justice on the Supreme Court 2000-present |
SUCCESSOR Incumbent |