Monday, March 3, 2003
Page 1
Long Beach Lawyer Stuart Rice Elected Commissioner
By KENNETH OFGANG, Staff Writer
Long Beach attorney Stuart Rice became the Los Angeles Superior Court’s newest commissioner Friday, taking the oath about an hour after being notified he had been elected by the court’s judges.
Rice was sworn in at a Long Beach Courthouse ceremony presided over by Judges Gibson Lee, Marcus Tucker, and Deborah Andrews. Rice asked the three to perform the honors because they “were all very supportive of my efforts at becoming a bench officer,” he told the MetNews.
The 48-year-old Rice explained that he applied for a judgeship and was interviewed by the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation last fall, in addition to seeking the commissioner’s post, for which he was ranked 23rd on a list of 35 candidates nominated in August 2001.
All of the candidates listed above him were previously elected, except for one who dropped out. Listed right behind him was Woodland Hills attorney Dennis Mulcahy, whom he defeated in the runoff.
Rice has had a varied practice. He was, until Friday, a partner in a Long Beach firm which serves as conflict counsel in South District juvenile delinquency cases, and also did civil and business litigation and probate work.
He served as an “as-needed” referee in Long Beach for three years.
The Boston-area native graduated from Tufts University and Northeastern University School of Law.
Mulcahy now becomes the highest-ranked candidate on the list to fill future vacancies, followed by Riverside Superior Court Commissioner Gretchen W. Taylor, Deputy Public Defender Lisa Brackelmanns; Referee Brian Petraborg; Long Beach attorney and onetime Antelope Municipal Court candidate Joel Wallenstein, Torrance attorney and “as-needed” Referee Steven Lee Berman; Referee Anthony Trendacosta; Downey lawyer Daniel Wilson; Los Angeles attorney Joseph Sheehan; Santa Monica family law specialist Susan Weiss; Beverly Hills attorney Marilyn Nelson; and Santa Monica criminal law specialist Steven Hauser.
Copyright 2003, Metropolitan News Company