The most important civil rights case most Americans have never heard of began in a San Francisco laundry shop, with a $10 fine and the men who refused to pay it. The case, Yick Wo v. Hopkins, decided by the Supreme Court on May 10, 1886, ruled unanimously in favor of the Chinese laundrymen, holding that everyone in the U.S., regardless of race or immigration status, is entitled to equal protection under the law.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday affirmed the denial of a death row inmate’s federal petition for habeas corpus based on allegations that the ex-Orange  Superior Court judge presiding over his trial violated due process principles by making what the petitioner characterized as racist and sexist jokes, describing the crime as “horrendous” and involving “dastardly conduct,” and quipping that “everyone should believe in the death penalty.”

An ethics committee yesterday issued an expedited advisory opinion concerning contributions to judicial reelection and retention campaigns by California judges and justices, saying that such donors must consider their duties to avoid the appearance of impropriety, as well as any circumstances that may lead to disqualification, in addition to any limitations set by local authorities.

(Subscription required) As Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration nears its end, organizers of California's statewide judicial mentor program are emphasizing that the effort to guide and diversify future judges will continue regardless of political leadership changes. Justice Helen Zukin, one of the program's founders, stressed that the program has always operated independently through volunteer judges and justices rather than the governor's office.