Immigrant Of The Day: Maria Lopez of Cuba

by Kevin R. Johnson

Maria Lopez

Maria Lopez is a former Massachusetts state court judge and currently a television jurist on the syndicated television show "Judge Maria Lopez."

Born in Cuba, Lopez came to the United States at age 8.  In 1988, she was the first Latina appointed to the bench in Massachusetts when selected by Governor Michael Dukakis. Judge Lopez was the first Latina to be appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1993. Lopez previously (1980-87) served as an assistant attorney general in civil rights division of the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General.   Before that, she was a legal services attorney.

A controversial judge in some quarters, Judge Lopez stepped down from the bench when an ethics panel recommended suspension because of her conduct in sentencing a criminal defendant.

Lopez holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Smith College and a Juris Doctor from Boston University. On September 11, 2006, Judge Maria Lopez debuted, a half-hour show where real life disputants come to settle a case.

November 15, 2007 | Permalink

About The Author

Kevin R. Johnson is currently Dean, Professor of Law and Chicana/o Studies, and the Mabie-Apallas Public Interest Law Chair holder at the University of California at Davis. He is also one of the editors of ImmigrationProf Blog.

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