Stephen Michael Lachs (born September 1939) is an American lawyer and retired judge. Lachs served as a judge of the
Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1979 to 1999. He was the first
openly gay
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
judge appointed in the United States
[Nation's 1st Openly Gay Judge to Retire]
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' (September 2, 1999). and is thought to be the first openly gay judge appointed anywhere in the world.
Early life and education
Lachs received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
from the University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...
in 1960 and an Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Ch ...
from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
The UCLA School of Law is one of 12 professional schools at the University of California, Los Angeles. UCLA Law has been consistently ranked by '' U.S. News & World Report'' as one of the top 20 law schools in the United States since the inception ...
in 1963.[Stephen M. Lachs - Lawyer Profile]
'' Martindale''.[Hon. Stephen M. Lachs Profile - ADR Services, Inc.]
/ref>
Judicial service
From 1975 to 1979, Lachs served as a commissioner of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.[ In 1979, Lachs received a judicial appointment to the Los Angeles County Superior Court from ]Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Secretary of ...
, who was beginning his second term as Governor of California.[ Brown had completed his first term as governor without appointing any openly gay people to any position, but he cited the failed 1978 ]Briggs Initiative
California Proposition 6, informally known as the Briggs Initiative, was a ballot initiative put to a referendum on the California state ballot in the November 7, 1978 election. It was sponsored by John Briggs, a conservative state legislator ...
, which sought to ban homosexuals from working in California's public schools, for his increased support of gay rights.[ As the first openly gay judge serving in the world, Lachs inspired many people along the journey for gay rights.][''Transitions - Retired: Stephen M. Lachs'', '' The Advocate'' (October 12, 1999).]
Michael Jackson custody dispute
After retiring from the bench, Lachs worked for Action Dispute Resolution Services, a private company that offers mediation services for civil disputes.[Michael Jackson, ex-wife hire family law judge]
''CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
'' (February 25, 2004). In 1999, Lachs was hired as a private judge by singer Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe
Deborah Jeanne Rowe (born December 6, 1958) is an American dermatology assistant best known for her marriage to pop musician Michael Jackson, with whom she had two children. She lives in Palmdale, California.
Early life
Debbie Rowe was born on ...
to mediate their custody dispute.[Jessica Garrison]
Jackson, Ex-Wife Reach Settlement in Custody Fight
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' (September 30, 2006). Lachs granted Rowe's 2001 request to terminate her parental rights,[Jessica Garrison]
Case Reopens Debate on Private Judges
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'', (September 6, 2006). but subsequently reversed that decision during a 2005 hearing.[Mike Celizic]
What will happen to Michael Jackson’s kids?
''MSNBC
MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and politi ...
'' (June 26, 2009). In December 2005, Lachs recused himself from the case after being accused by Jackson's lawyers of bias against Jackson.Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is an American journalist who runs the website, Showbiz411.com since 2009. Friedman's career started at Ballantine Books in the early 1980s as a book publicist, where he helped create bestsellers for baseball strategist Bill James, ...
Michael Jackson's Secret Papers Revealed
''Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
'' (September 22, 2006).
See also
* List of LGBT jurists in the United States
This is a list of openly LGBT Americans who are or were judges, magistrate judges, court commissioners, or administrative law judges in the United States and its federal district and territories. If known, it will be listed if a judge has serve ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lachs, Stephen M.
1939 births
Living people
American gay men
California state court judges
LGBT appointed officials in the United States
LGBT judges
Superior court judges in the United States
UCLA School of Law alumni
University of California, Los Angeles alumni