Retired Superior Court Judge Howard Thelin Dead at 90

Thursday, March 31, 2011

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Retired Superior Court Judge Howard Thelin Dead at 90

By a MetNews Staff Writer

Retired Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Howard Thelin has passed away at the age of 90.

County Supervisor Michael Antonovich described Thelin, who died in Glendale on Friday, as “a respected state legislator and a distinguished judge who served the citizens of our county and state for many years.”

Thelin served as a judge for over two decades, and also represented the 43rd Assembly District in the California State Legislature from 1964 to 1966.

After an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate in where he was defeated in the Republican primary by John Harmer, Thelin was tapped for the Los Angeles Municipal Court bench by then-Gov. Pat Brown in 1966, despite the difference in their party affiliations.

Thelin was elevated to the Superior Court 10 years later by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. He retired in 1988, going into private arbitration and mediation.

In recent years he served as the discovery referee in a dispute over the estate of actor Rock Hudson and in the Eaton Crest land subsidence cases.

He is a past member of the Executive Committee of the California Judges Association, and also served as secretary-treasurer for the group. Thelin was also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Lawyers’ Club of Los Angeles County, and a past commander of the American Legion Post 127.

The judge was born in Van Nuys but moved to Glendale with his family as a toddler. His education at UCLA was interrupted by his service in the U.S. Army during World War II, and he earned a degree in history in 1946.

Three years later he earned his law degree from USC and he joined the State Bar in 1950.

Thelin spent 16 years in private practice in Glendale before being appointed to the bench.

He is survived by his wife his wife, Vivien Thelin; their sons; David Thelin, William Thelin and Richard Thelin; and a granddaughter, Katrina Thelin. Information on services was not immediately available.