This timeline shares milestones involving cases impacting Asian American and Pacific Islander history in California, as well as select Asian American Pacific Islander jurists throughout California judicial branch history.
1854-10-15 20:30:33
People v. Hall
The California Supreme Court ruled that the testimony of a Chinese man who witnessed a murder by a White man was inadmissible in a court of law.
1882-05-01 00:00:00
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act was a federal law passed by Congress and signed by President Chester A. Arthur to restrict immigration to the United States by Chinese laborers for ten years.
1886-05-10 09:29:21
Yick Wo v. Hopkins
"The plaintiff in error, Yick Wo, on August 24, 1885, petitioned the supreme court of California for the writ of habeas corpus, alleging that he was illegally deprived of his personal [118 U.S. 356, 357] liberty by the defendant as sheriff of the city and county of San Francisco."
1917-02-05 23:49:55
The Immigration Act of 1917 (Barred Zone Act)
A federal law restricted immigration from South and Southeast Asia.
1924-05-26 00:00:00
The Immigration Act of 1924 (The Johnson-Reed Act)
A new immigration law was even more restrictive on those coming from Asian countries.
1933-03-27 11:36:49
Roldan v. Los Angeles County
A case involving a Filipino man and a White woman debated the notion of race and interracial marriages.
1944-12-18 02:00:00
Korematsu v. United States
This civil rights case determined whether or not Japanese-Americans could be held in internment camps during World War II.
1945-05-22 23:52:00
Alfafara v. Fross
A Filipino man challenged the Alien Land Act for the right to own land.
1953-09-01 03:45:03
First AAPI Judge in a California Trial Court: John Aiso
John Aiso served as a superior court commissioner for a year before being appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1953.
1966-01-03 07:03:31
First AAPI Justice in the California Court of Appeal: Stephen K. Tamura
Justice Stephen K. Tamura is the first Asian-American person to serve on an appellate court bench in the continental United States.
1989-04-05 21:34:05
First AAPI Justice in the California Supreme Court: Joyce Kennard
Joyce Kennard was the first AAPI person to serve on the California Supreme Court; she was the longest-serving justice to sit on the court at the time of her retirement in 2014.
2011-01-03 00:00:00
First AAPI Chief Justice: Tani Cantil-Sakauye
Tani Cantil-Sakauye was the 28th Chief Justice of California and is the first AAPI person and person of color to serve in the role.