born march retired 27th chief justice california headed governor appointed george associate justice supreme_court elevated george chief justice education early career grew beverly_hills son hungarian immigrant mother french immigrant father graduate george earned princeton_university graduating stanford george deputy california attorney general deputy attorney general argued unsuccessfully behalf california following year represented california time successfully defending death penalty california represented california support successful argument illinois final year deputy attorney general george unsuccessfully argued favor death penalty california anderson successful defending conviction assassination senator presidential candidate ruling california anderson resulted dismissal california george represented state california case early judicial career governor ronald_reagan appointed george judge april george elected year term november governor appointed december george elected year term november elected november judge george presided trial george presided trial gay son singer george lauded extremely unusual decision deny motion district attorney office dismiss counts murder unusual decision speculated result earlier decision separate crucial counts rape serve evidence defendant murder charges prosecutors felt evidence weak justify attempt win trial judges rarely second guess prosecutors judgment matter george stated george review evidence case caused feel strongly prosecutors error exactly george reassigned case california attorney general office office successfully convicted counts recognized judge action deny earlier motion dismiss ultimately prevented serial killer going free oddly district attorney elected california attorney general middle lengthy trial office attempted dismiss case attorney general office win convictions case governor appointed appeal july george confirmed sworn august elected year term november supreme_court governor appointed justice july george confirmed sworn associate justice september california voters elected year term november wilson appointed george 27th chief justice california march george confirmed sworn office elected year term november percent vote george occasionally floated candidate justice conservative acceptable democrats democratic united states senator suggested george potential nominee seat court vacated retirement boxer described george fellow justice republicans reflect spirit day connor tenure independent justice george authored opinion supreme_court ruling marriage cases sex marriage california citing court decision marriages george opinion found sexual orientation protected class like race gender meaning attempts ban sex marriage subject strict scrutiny california constitution state high court country voters decision months later passing proposition november elections proposition later overturned perry marriage cases reinstated valid constitutional law california july justice george announced seek elected retire end term january succeeded
Ronald M. George