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LASC Judge Philip L. Soto to Retire Dec. 23
By a MetNews Staff Writer
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PHILIP L. SOTO Los Angeles Superior Court judge |
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Philip L. Soto—whose decision not to seek reelection created an open seat in the Nov. 5 election won by Deputy Public Defender George Turner Jr.—will retire Dec. 23, 10 days before his term expires.
Soto told the MetNews on Nov. 3 of last year that he would not be running, but said he hadn’t made “any firm plans” as to what he would do after leaving the bench. Now he’s done so, saying Wednesday that he and his wife, who retired from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in April, will be moving to Nevada.
“But, not immediately,” he notes, relating:
“We will enjoy time together and with family and friends and traveling. I intend to take up painting and Tai Chi in my new life.
“Additionally, I hope to serve the court as needed on assignment to the Juvenile Division.”
Soto, who has long been assigned to the Children’s Courthouse, reflected:
“I am most proud of the court in its response to the Covid pandemic and being designated essential workers for the justice system and our community. I am proud of every case I handled and especially every adoption of a child…to create a new, lasting, and strong family for the County of Los Angeles.
“I was part of our national adoption day this past November where we adopted over 270 children. I performed my final adoption yesterday for a single sex couple who raised their beautiful child (a relative’s daughter) since her birth over two years ago. They attended every hearing for her in person. It was a joyous moment and a tearful goodbye. I will miss those hearings the most.”
Then-Gov. Pete Wilson appointed Soto the Los Angeles Municipal Court on Sept. 4, 1998. He was, at the time, a senior associate in the law firm of Manning, Marder, and Wolfe (now known as Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP).
Soto became a Superior Court judge in 2000 through court unification.
His law degree is from Loyola.
Copyright 2024, Metropolitan News Company